The 1964-65 Boston Celtics didn’t just go out and win another championship; they absolutely tore up the league, posting a mind-blowing 62-18 record that was the best in league history at the time. And get this, they did it all after staring down an unthinkable loss right before opening night. Talk about resilience!
More Than Just a Founder: The Legacy of Walter Brown
Seriously, the season started on the toughest note imaginable. Walter Brown, the Celtics’ legendary founder and owner, suffered a heart attack and passed away just weeks before opening night. The guy was only 59 years old. Think about that for a second: the man who helped found the Basketball Association of America, which then became the NBA, was gone. But it wasn’t just basketball. This dude managed the Boston Garden, owned the Bruins, ran the International Ice Hockey Federation, and was president of the Boston Athletic Association, the group behind the Boston Marathon. He even won championships as a hockey coach! They retired Number 1 for him when the season opened, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and posthumously into the Basketball Hall of Fame in ’65. What a legend.
An Unstoppable Machine: MVP Russell and New Faces
Even with that gut punch, the Celtics were an absolute machine, chasing their seventh straight banner. No other team even hit 50 wins that season while Boston racked up 62. They kicked things off by winning their first 11 games, then added win streaks of seven and a ridiculous 16 games. Bill Russell was an absolute force, snagging his fifth MVP award. He averaged 14.1 points per game and led the entire NBA in rebounding with 24.1 boards a night. It’s wild to think about, but back then, they didn’t even track blocked shots or have a Defensive Player of the Year award. You just know his status as arguably the greatest ever gets shortchanged because of it. Sam Jones, Tommy Heinsohn, and Russell all made the All-Star game, and it was Heinsohn’s last ride; he retired after nine seasons. Plus, they brought in some fresh blood: Mel Counts, the 9th overall pick, who’d go on to play 12 seasons and win two rings, and John Thompson, taken in the third round, who also got two rings and became a Hall of Famer as the Georgetown Hoyas coach.
Breaking Barriers: A Historic Starting Five
But here’s the real kicker, the moment that truly set this season apart. The Celtics had already made history by ignoring the “quota rule” and putting five Black players on the court. But on December 27, 1964, they took it a step further. Tommy Heinsohn was injured, and Willie Naulls stepped in for him, completing the starting five alongside Bill Russell, Satch Sanders, Sam Jones, and K.C. Jones. That was it: the NBA’s first all-black starting five. What a major breakthrough, man. This wasn’t just about winning games; it was about breaking down barriers and changing the game forever.
This wasn’t just another championship run for the Celtics; it was a season that etched their name deeper into the history books for so many reasons. From their sheer dominance on the court to the quiet courage that reshaped what was possible, 1965 was more than just a banner year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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