Ranking the 10 best Celtics moments in NBA Finals history originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics are no strangers to the NBA Finals.
On Thursday, the franchise will participate in the league championship for the 23rd time, when hosts the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals.
Only the Los Angeles Lakers (32) have played in more NBA Finals. Both the Lakers and Celtics have won 17 titles, the most of any team.
These title-winning streaks (and even a few losses) have produced many memorable moments for the Celtics, but which are the best?
Here are the 10 best NBA Finals moments in Celtics history so far.
10. Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals
The most memorable play of the game came in the second quarter, when Kevin Garnett was thrown to the ground by Lamar Odom and still made the shot, plus the foul, to increase Boston’s lead to 20. The Boston fans and bench went wild , and from that point on there was nothing the Lakers could do to stop the Celtics’ coronation. The Celtics won by 39 points to win their first title since 1986 and 17th overall. After the game, Garnett gave his legendary “Anything is possible!” interview with ABC’s Michelle Tafoya. It was the perfect end to one of the most impressive Celtics seasons in team history.
9. Game 6 of the 1986 NBA Finals
Bird’s championship-clinching performance against the Rockets in Game 6 is one of the best in playoff history. He recorded a triple-double with 29 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds. He also played phenomenal defense with three steals and several other great plays that don’t show up on the scoreboard. Bird has had a huge impact on every facet of the game. It was pure domination. A basketball fundamentals clinic.
The most memorable moment came in the fourth quarter when Bird caught a behind-the-back pass from Bill Walton under the basket. Instead of trying to score at the rim as the shot clock expired, Bird dribbled to the 3-point line, shot from beyond the arc and raised his fist in the air in celebration. It was a fitting way for the league’s greatest team of all time to end a remarkable season.
8. Game 4 of the 1969 NBA Finals
The Celtics trailed the Lakers 88-87 with seven seconds left in Game 4 at the old Boston Garden. Facing a potential 3-1 series deficit, Celtics legend Sam Jones hit a winning shot from 20 feet out. The Celtics tied the series with an 89-88 victory and went on to win the championship in Game 7 (see below).
7. Game 7 of the 1984 NBA Finals
The Celtics won Larry Bird and Magic Johnson’s first playoff meeting with a dramatic Game 7 victory at the old Boston Garden. Bird’s dunk on a fast break is one of the most memorable plays of the series (Image: Disclosure)watch a replay here) and increased the Celtics’ lead in the first half. The Lakers made a run in the second half, but Bird and the Celtics finished the job to win the franchise’s 15th championship.
6. Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals
Only twice has Game 7 of the NBA Finals gone to overtime, and the Celtics have won both. Louis Hawks in double overtime in 1957 for their first championship, and defeated the Lakers in overtime in 1962 for their fifth title (fourth consecutive). Bill Russell dominated this Game 7 with 30 points and 40 rebounds to complete one of the greatest performances in playoff history.
5. Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals
The Celtics won the first two games of the 2008 Finals at home, but lost the third game in Los Angeles. They were headed for another loss when the Lakers went up 24 points in the second quarter of Game 4. A tremendous second half run during which so many players – Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, James Posey, PJ Brown, Leon Powe, etc. – made clutch plays, helped the Celtics take the lead at 84-83 with 4:07 left in the fourth quarter. The C’s won 97-91 to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Boston’s 24-point comeback is the most in an NBA Finals game since 1971.
4. Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals
Before the game, the Lakers announced how they would celebrate winning the title, including the songs that would be played by the USC band, the balloons falling from the rafters and the order of post-game interviews. Russell took the script and read it to the players in the locker room and told them the Lakers absolutely couldn’t beat them.
The Celtics held off the favored Lakers with the help of a memorable shot from Don Nelson in the fourth quarter. Nelson’s shot hit the back of the rim, sending the ball up and down the net for two crucial points. This shot gave the C’s a 105-102 lead with just over a minute left. The C’s won 108-106 as Russell retired with 11 championships in 13 years.
3. Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals
This is one of the best games ever played, full of memorable moments. John Havlicek’s 15-foot shot put the Celtics ahead 111-110 with one second left in the second overtime. The Suns did not have a timeout, but called it anyway, giving the C’s a technical free throw but also allowing them to advance the ball. With one second left on the clock, Gar Heard hit an incredible shot to force a third overtime, where the Celtics won 128-126 to take a 3-2 series lead. Glenn McDonald came off the bench in the third OT and scored six points, cementing his position as the C’s playoff hero. The Celtics won the championship in Game 6 in Phoenix a few days later.
2. Game 2 of the 1984 NBA Finals
The Celtics were down 113-111 with less than 30 seconds left in Game 2 of the Finals against the rival Lakers. Facing a possible 0-2 series hole, Gerald Henderson broke through with one of the greatest steals in playoff history. He intercepted a James Worthy pass and made a layup to tie the game and force OT. The Celtics won in overtime to even the series.
1. Game 1 of the 1981 NBA Finals
Larry Bird’s first game in the Finals became memorable when he made a brilliant play to follow his own shot, jump for the rebound and score from a very difficult angle along the baseline. Bird knew immediately the shot wasn’t going to go in, so he went where he thought the rebound would go.
“This is the best play I’ve ever seen. Larry Bird is a player of destiny,” Celtics legend Red Auerbach once said about the play, by NBA.com.
The Celtics won the series opener and ended up eliminating the Houston Rockets in six games for Bird’s first career title.
