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1960–61 Boston Celtics season

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1960–61 Boston Celtics season
NBA champions
Division champions
Head coachRed Auerbach
ArenaBoston Garden
Results
Record57–22 (.722)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Eastern)
Playoff finishNBA Champions
(Defeated Hawks 4–1)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWHDH-TV
RadioWHDH
< 1959–60 1961–62 >

The 1960–61 Boston Celtics season was the 15th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics finished the season by winning their fourth NBA Championship. HoopsHype later ranked this squad as having the 12th easiest route to the NBA Finals championship in 2024 due to the record of their first round opponent, the Syracuse Nationals.[1]

Draft picks

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Main article: 1960 NBA draft

This table only displays picks through the second round.

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 8 Tom Sanders SF/PF  United States NYU
2 16 Leroy Wright SF/PF  United States Pacific

Roster

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Boston Celtics roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
F/C 17 Conley, Gene 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Washington State
G 14 Cousy, Bob 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Holy Cross
F 20 Guarilia, Gene 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 220 lb (100 kg) George Washington
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 18 Loscutoff, Jim 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Oregon
G/F 23 Ramsey, Frank 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Kentucky
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) NYU
G 21 Sharman, Bill 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) USC
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

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Season standings

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Eastern Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Boston Celtics 57 22 .722 – 21–7 24–11 12–4 28–11
x-Philadelphia Warriors 46 33 .582 11 23–6 12–21 11–6 22–17
x-Syracuse Nationals 38 41 .481 19 19–9 8–21 11–11 18–21
New York Knicks 21 58 .266 36 10–22 7–25 4–11 10–29

Record vs. opponents

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1960–61 NBA Records
Team BOS CIN DET LAL NYK PHI STL SYR
Boston – 7–3 8–2 8–2 10–3 8–5 6–4 10–3
Cincinnati 3–7 – 2–11 8–5 8–2 2–8 6–7 4–6
Detroit 2–8 11–2 – 4–9 5–5 5–5 3–10 4–6
Los Angeles 2–8 5–8 9–4 – 7–3 2–8 5–8 6–4
New York 3–10 2–8 5–5 3–7 – 2–11 1–9 5–8
Philadelphia 5–8 8–2 5–5 8–2 11–2 – 3–7 6–7
St. Louis 4–6 7–6 10–3 8–5 9–1 7–3 – 6–4
Syracuse 3–10 6–4 6–4 4–6 8–5 7–6 4–6 —

Game log

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1960–61 Game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 October 22 Detroit 116–118 Bob Cousy (30) 1–0
2 October 28 @ New York 110–101 Bill Russell (22) 2–0
3 October 29 Philadelphia 131–103 Bill Russell (22) 2–1
4 November 5 Cincinnati 113–104 Cousy, Sharman (27) 2–2
5 November 8 @ Cincinnati 136–120 Tom Heinsohn (33) 3–2
6 November 11 N Cincinnati 110–128 Tom Heinsohn (30) 4–2
7 November 12 N Los Angeles 124–131 Sam Jones (25) 5–2
8 November 15 N Detroit 115–114 (OT) Tom Heinsohn (23) 5–3
9 November 16 St. Louis 106–124 Bob Cousy (30) 6–3
10 November 19 @ Syracuse 114–94 Bill Russell (19) 7–3
11 November 20 @ Cincinnati 120–103 Bob Cousy (23) 8–3
12 November 23 New York 105–122 Frank Ramsey (24) 9–3
13 November 24 @ Philadelphia 132–129 Tom Heinsohn (26) 10–3
14 November 25 @ New York 111–110 Bill Sharman (26) 11–3
15 November 26 Syracuse 110–129 Tom Heinsohn (20) 12–3
16 November 29 @ St. Louis 119–109 Tom Heinsohn (25) 13–3
17 November 30 @ Detroit 125–110 Bill Sharman (23) 14–3
18 December 1 N New York 116–111 Heinsohn, Ramsey (22) 14–4
19 December 2 Los Angeles 120–117 Bill Sharman (32) 14–5
20 December 4 @ Los Angeles 113–103 Tom Heinsohn (34) 15–5
21 December 5 @ Los Angeles 123–101 Bob Cousy (24) 16–5
22 December 7 Syracuse 142–134 Tom Heinsohn (30) 16–6
23 December 8 N Cincinnati 118–115 Bill Russell (23) 16–7
24 December 9 Cincinnati 123–146 Bill Sharman (26) 17–7
25 December 10 @ Philadelphia 97–102 Bill Russell (22) 17–8
26 December 13 @ New York 115–117 Bob Cousy (30) 17–9
27 December 15 N Syracuse 105–115 Bob Cousy (28) 18–9
28 December 17 Los Angeles 112–140 Bob Cousy (25) 19–9
29 December 20 N Cincinnati 112–115 Tom Heinsohn (23) 20–9
30 December 21 St. Louis 108–120 Sam Jones (28) 21–9
31 December 24 Detroit 106–150 Bob Cousy (25) 22–9
32 December 26 Philadelphia 115–119 Heinsohn, S. Jones (25) 23–9
33 December 27 @ Philadelphia 101–116 Tom Heinsohn (30) 23–10
34 December 28 @ St. Louis 99–105 Frank Ramsey (19) 23–11
35 December 30 @ New York 120–106 Tom Heinsohn (30) 24–11
36 January 1 @ Syracuse 113–96 Tom Heinsohn (23) 25–11
37 January 3 @ Los Angeles 102–96 Bob Cousy (27) 26–11
38 January 5 @ Cincinnati 125–107 Frank Ramsey (28) 27–11
39 January 6 @ Detroit 108–102 Tom Heinsohn (31) 28–11
40 January 8 @ St. Louis 104–133 Sam Jones (24) 28–12
41 January 10 N Detroit 98–118 Tom Heinsohn (25) 29–12
42 January 12 N Syracuse 118–124 (OT) Bob Cousy (33) 30–12
43 January 13 Philadelphia 121–123 (OT) Sam Jones (34) 31–12
44 January 14 @ Philadelphia 113–116 Frank Ramsey (21) 31–13
45 January 15 New York 124–142 Tom Heinsohn (31) 32–13
46 January 18 St. Louis 125–114 Bob Cousy (23) 32–14
47 January 19 N Los Angeles 103–106 Cousy, Heinsohn (22) 33–14
48 January 21 @ Syracuse 124–127 Tom Heinsohn (34) 33–15
49 January 24 @ New York 125–112 Bob Cousy (33) 34–15
50 January 26 @ Philadelphia 129–121 Heinsohn, S. Jones (26) 35–15
51 January 27 Detroit 111–140 Sam Jones (28) 36–15
52 January 29 Philadelphia 115–128 Bill Sharman (21) 37–15
53 January 30 @ Cincinnati 88–116 Cousy, Russell (14) 37–16
54 January 31 @ St. Louis 109–103 Bill Russell (25) 38–16
55 February 1 N New York 120–124 Tom Heinsohn (31) 39–16
56 February 3 New York 109–123 Tom Heinsohn (23) 40–16
57 February 5 St. Louis 121–123 Tom Heinsohn (24) 41–16
58 February 7 N Los Angeles 95–96 Bill Russell (26) 42–16
59 February 8 @ Syracuse 108–130 Bill Sharman (26) 42–17
60 February 10 @ Detroit 134–137 Sam Jones (29) 42–18
61 February 11 New York 129–107 Frank Ramsey (26) 42–19
62 February 12 Philadelphia 125–136 Sam Jones (25) 43–19
63 February 14 N Los Angeles 93–113 Bob Cousy (19) 44–19
64 February 16 N Philadelphia 121–111 Bill Sharman (28) 44–20
65 February 17 @ Philadelphia 133–128 Bill Russell (28) 45–20
66 February 19 @ Syracuse 116–106 Tom Heinsohn (25) 46–20
67 February 22 @ Los Angeles 93–105 Bill Russell (21) 46–21
68 February 24 Syracuse 128–144 Tom Heinsohn (26) 47–21
69 February 25 @ St. Louis 122–109 Bob Cousy (23) 48–21
70 February 26 @ Detroit 113–99 Cousy, Heinsohn (23) 49–21
71 February 28 @ New York 142–116 Bill Russell (24) 50–21
72 March 1 St. Louis 110–97 Bill Sharman (23) 50–22
73 March 4 New York 110–113 Bob Cousy (20) 51–22
74 March 5 Philadelphia 129–146 Bill Russell (37) 52–22
75 March 7 N Cincinnati 121–124 Bill Russell (25) 53–22
76 March 8 Syracuse 127–136 Bill Sharman (27) 54–22
77 March 9 N Detroit 118–119 Frank Ramsey (31) 55–22
78 March 11 Syracuse 116–126 Bill Russell (24) 56–22
79 March 12 @ Syracuse 136–134 (OT) Sam Jones (44) 57–22

Playoffs

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1961 playoff game log
Division Finals: 4–1 (home: 3–0; road: 1–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 March 19 Syracuse W 128–115 Frank Ramsey (25) — Bob Cousy (9) Boston Garden
7,728 		1–0
2 March 21 @ Syracuse L 98–115 Bill Russell (17) — Bill Russell (5) Onondaga War Memorial
6,657 		1–1
3 March 23 Syracuse W 133–110 Bill Sharman (30) Bill Russell (39) Bob Cousy (12) Boston Garden
11,754 		2–1
4 March 25 @ Syracuse W 120–107 Tom Heinsohn (22) — Bob Cousy (9) Onondaga War Memorial 3–1
5 March 26 Syracuse W 123–101 Bill Sharman (27) Bill Russell (33) Frank Ramsey (6) Boston Garden
12,292 		4–1
NBA Finals: 4–1 (home: 3–0; road: 1–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 2 St. Louis W 129–95 Tom Heinsohn (26) Bill Russell (31) Bob Cousy (7) Boston Garden
11,531 		1–0
2 April 5 St. Louis W 116–108 Bob Cousy (26) Bill Russell (28) Bob Cousy (14) Boston Garden
13,909 		2–0
3 April 8 @ St. Louis L 120–124 Russell, Heinsohn (24) Bill Russell (23) Bill Russell (9) Kiel Auditorium
8,468 		2–1
4 April 9 @ St. Louis W 119–104 Cousy, Sanders (22) Bill Russell (24) Bob Cousy (12) Kiel Auditorium
10,442 		3–1
5 April 11 St. Louis W 121–112 Bill Russell (30) Bill Russell (18) Bob Cousy (12) Boston Garden
13,909 		4–1
1961 schedule

Awards and honors

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References

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  1. ^ "Ranking the easiest paths to an NBA title ever". HoopsHype. June 18, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
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