
The Boston Celtics are an NBA team based out of Boston, Massachusetts that plays in the Eastern Conference of the Atlantic Division. The Boston franchise was founded in 1946 as a member of the Basketball Association of America that was later absorbed in to the National Basketball Association. From its formation, it didn’t take long for the Celtics to establish themselves as the most dominant team in the league. Although dynasties have come and gone in sports, none could ever compare to the Celtics teams of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Under head coach, Red Auerbach, and with Hall of Fame legend, Bill Russell, at the helm, Boston took home an incredible nine NBA championships in just ten years, including a record-setting eight consecutive titles from 1959-1966. Bill Russell, who would retire with 11 championships in 13 seasons, was drafted second overall by the Boston Celtics in 1956. Statistically there is no more accomplished athlete in sports history than Russell, who along with 11 NBA Championships, won two NCAA Championships as well as an Olympic Gold medal in 1956.
After Auerbach retired in 1966, Bill Russell decided to take over his duties and serve as a player-coach for Boston. With Bob Cousy running the floor at point guard and Bill Russell at center, the Celtics had no problem dominating the NBA and winning league titles year after year. While the 1970’s weren’t nearly as successful as the 50’s and 60’s, the Boston Celtics still managed to win championships number 12 and 13 with the play of the legendary John Havlicek and under the leadership of head coach, Tom Heinsohn. At the end of the decade, team management made arguably the greatest basketball decision in franchise history when they decided to draft Indiana State forward, Larry Bird, with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. The small town Indiana kid would later go down as one of the greatest basketball players who ever lived. Bird turned the Celtics back in to the perennial winners they were in the middle of the century, leading the team to five NBA Finals appearances in seven years, including three NBA championships. Larry Bird was named the MVP of the team’s 1984 and 1986 NBA Finals wins, with Cedric Maxwell taking home the honors in 1981. Bird walked away from the NBA in 1992 as a 12-time NBA All-Star, three-time MVP, and the 1986 AP Athlete of the Year. After the departure of their cornerstone player, the Celtics went through a rebuilding phase in the mid-1990’s before their newest star, Paul Pierce, would emerge. Pierce was Boston’s first round pick in the 1998 NBA Draft and immediately became a fan favorite amongst the Celtics faithful. The former Kansas star would go on to put together a number of All-Star caliber seasons before being united with fellow NBA heroes, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, to form one of the league’s first “Big Three” combos. The trio of NBA superstars led Boston to their first title win since 1987 when they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals and went on the serve as the basis for a team that became a consistent postseason contender since.
Collecting Boston Celtics MemorabiliaAll in all, with 17 NBA championships the Boston Celtics are not only the most winning franchise in NBA history, but the most winning team in all of professional sports. No team in the existence of the NBA has been as successful as the Boston basketball franchise. As one of the most decorated team’s in all of sports, Boston Celtics memorabilia commemorates players that will remain iconic forever and provides some of the rarest autographed collectibles in basketball history. Take home a piece of basketball history with items signed by legends, like Bill Russell, Larry Bird, or Paul Pierce, or invest in the future of a storied franchise that looks to add another title to its collection with Rajon Rondo memorabilia. Whether you’re a die-hard Celtics fan or serious sports memorabilia collector, NBA products that feature signatures from the greatest in all of Boston sports are a treasure that will acquire a tremendous amount of value over the years.