1965 Boston Celtics

Boston set a new wins record at 62-18. Russell, the MVP, averaged 24 rebounds. Havlicek had moved into the starting lineup, and Sam Jones led the team in scoring at better than 25 a game.

The defining moment came in the Eastern Division final against the Philadelphia 76ers, who now had Chamberlain. With Boston up one and Philadelphia inbounding under their own basket in the last seconds of Game 7, Havlicek deflected the pass to Sam Jones. Johnny Most's radio call, "Havlicek stole the ball," became part of the language.

The Lakers had lost Elgin Baylor to a knee injury in the previous round, leaving Jerry West to carry them alone. West scored in bunches, including 45 in Game 2, but Boston took the series in five and won the close-out by 33.

Russell grabbed 25 rebounds a game across the Finals. Heinsohn retired afterward, ending a nine-year run in which he won eight titles.

The league was smaller than it is today, but the 1965 playoffs still required beating the best teams in the division and then the other side of the bracket. Title paths from this era are shorter on paper than a modern run, yet the Finals still decided the champion.

The starting five was Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, Willie Naulls, and K.C. Jones. Red Auerbach coached the group with Don Nelson as the primary bench scorer.

This was title number 4 in a Boston Celtics run that stretched across consecutive or near-consecutive seasons. Repeat winners carried continuity from one year to the next.

The full roster ran deeper than the headline names. Role players who mattered included Tom Heinsohn (in his final NBA season); Satch Sanders (perimeter defender); Mel Counts (rookie center).

The 1965 playoffs ran through divisional rounds before the Finals. The Boston Celtics still needed four series wins in many years, but the league had fewer teams than the 30-franchise map used today.

The Boston Celtics share a lineage with other banners from 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008, 2024. Compare those seasons on the franchise hub to see how the roster and style changed between title runs.

Looking back, the 1964-65 Celtics won 62 games, a league record at the time, and beat the Los Angeles Lakers in five for their seventh straight title. They reached the Finals on John Havlicek's steal in the closing seconds of Game 7 against Philadelphia, one of the most replayed plays in the sport. Tom Heinsohn played his final game in the clincher.

For the full roster beyond the featured starters, see the table on this page. For other Boston Celtics titles, use the franchise hub linked below.