1964–65 Boston Celtics season

1964–65 Boston Celtics season
NBA champions
Head coach	Red Auerbach
Owners	Walter Brown
Arena	Boston Garden
Results
Record	62–18 (.775)
Place	Division: 1st (Eastern)
Playoff finish	NBA Champions (Defeated Lakers 4–1)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WHDH-TV WIHS-TV
Radio	WHDH

The 1964–65 NBA season was the Celtics' 19th season in the NBA. The Celtics finished the season by winning their eighth NBA Championship, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. In 1996, the team was named one of the 10 greatest teams in NBA history. In addition five players were inducted into the Hall of Fame - K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, Tom Heinsohn, Bill Russell, and John Havlicek. Sam Jones, Havlicek, and Russell were selected as among the NBA's 50 greatest players. Both Red Auerbach and John Thompson were elected into the Hall of Fame as coaches.

Offseason

NBA Draft

The 1965 NBA Draft took place on May 4, 1964.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	7	Mel Counts	Center / Forward	United States	Oregon State
2	16	Ron Bonham	Forward	United States	Cincinnati

Roster

Boston Celtics roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From F 21 Bonham, Ron 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 192 lb (87 kg) Cincinnati C 11 Counts, Mel 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Oregon State G/F 17 Havlicek, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 203 lb (92 kg) Ohio State F 15 Heinsohn, Tom 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 218 lb (99 kg) Holy Cross G 25 Jones, K. C. 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 200 lb (91 kg) San Francisco G/F 24 Jones, Sam 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 198 lb (90 kg) North Carolina Central F 12 Naulls, Willie 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 225 lb (102 kg) UCLA C 6 Russell, Bill 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) San Francisco F 16 Sanders, Satch 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) New York G 20 Siegfried, Larry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Ohio State F/C 18 Thompson, John 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Providence

Head coach Red Auerbach Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Eastern Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Neutral	Div
x-Boston Celtics	62	18	.775	–	27–3	27–11	8–4	20–10
x-Cincinnati Royals	48	32	.600	14	25–7	17–21	6–4	16–14
x-Philadelphia 76ers	40	40	.500	22	13–12	9–21	18–7	14–16
New York Knicks	31	49	.388	31	15–20	9–21	7–8	10–20

Record vs. opponents

1964-65 NBA Records
Team	BAL	BOS	CIN	DET	LAL	NYK	PHI	SFW	STL
Baltimore	—	3–7	6–4	6–4	4–6	2–8	4–6	7–3	5–5
Boston	7–3	—	8–2	10–0	7–3	7–3	5–5	9–1	9–1
Cincinnati	4–6	2–8	—	6–4	6–4	8–2	6–4	8–2	8–2
Detroit	4–6	0–10	4–6	—	3–7	5–5	4–6	8–2	3–7
Los Angeles	6–4	3–7	4–6	7–3	—	10–0	7–3	8–2	4–6
New York	8–2	3–7	2–8	5–5	0–10	—	5–5	7–3	1–9
Philadelphia	6–4	5–5	4–6	6–4	3–7	5–5	—	6–4	5–5
San Francisco	3–7	1–9	2–8	2–8	2–8	3–7	4–6	—	0–10
St. Louis	5–5	1–9	2–8	7–3	6–4	9–1	5–5	10–0	—

Playoffs

East Division Semifinals

The Celtics had a division semifinal bye.

East Division Finals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: Celtics win series 4–3

• Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 108, Philadelphia 98
• Game 2 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 109, Boston 103
• Game 3 @ Boston: Boston 112, Philadelphia 94
• Game 4 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 134, Boston 131 (OT)
• Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 114, Philadelphia 108
• Game 6 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 112, Boston 106
• Game 7 @ Boston: Boston 110, Philadelphia 109

NBA Finals

Game	Date	Home Team	Result	Road Team
Game 1	April 18	Boston	142–110	Los Angeles
Game 2	April 19	Boston	129–123	Los Angeles
Game 3	April 21	Los Angeles	126–105	Boston
Game 4	April 23	Los Angeles	99–112	Boston
Game 5	April 25	Boston	129–96	Los Angeles

Celtics win series 4–1

Awards and honors

• Bill Russell, NBA Most Valuable Player Award
• Red Auerbach, NBA Coach of the Year Award
• Bill Russell, All-NBA First Team
• Sam Jones, All-NBA Second Team

References

• Celtics on Database Basketball
• Celtics on Basketball Reference