About Celtics Playoffs
Boston Celtics History in the NBA Playoffs
The Boston Celtics have been an iconic presence in the NBA (National Basketball Association) since being one of the original eight teams in the league's inception.
Regular NBA Title Winners
They have collected, to date, 17 NBA Championship titles and are a massive presence in their home state and this means that tickets to see the team in postseason action at the TD Garden are particularly hard to get your hands on, but SeatPick is here to assist you in this endeavor.
In 1950-51 the team secured their first ever NBA playoff berth, going on to lose to the New York Knicks in the Division Semi finals, something they repeated the following year.
First NBA Championships
The Boston Celtics won their first-ever NBA Championship in 1956-57 as they defeated the St. Louis Hawks in a seven-game NBA Finals series.
Eight in a Row
Under Red Auerbach, the Celtics then dominated the NBA in quite a spectacular style, winning eight successive titles between 1959 and 1966, with the great Bill Russell proving an incredible asset.
That run was ended, briefly, when the franchise was ousted in the Division Finals by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1966-67; the team then won back-to-back titles in the next two seasons, this with Bill Russell on board as head coach.
Facing the Showtime
Tom Heinsohn led the Celtics to two wins in the 70s, and they made a real return to form in the 1980s with the likes of Larry Bird battling the Los Angeles Lakers and their Showtime side.
The Celtics faced the Lakers in three out of four NBA Finals and also beat the Houston Rockets in this triumphant era.
Drought
The Boston Celtics struggled somewhat after this period and actually went six seasons without making it to the NBA playoffs during the 1990s and early 2000s.
Doc Rivers steered the Boston Celtics ship back in the right direction as they won the 2007-08 NBA Championship, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce being big heroes that season.
A loss to the Lakers followed in 2009-10, but they did rack up five successive Atlantic Division titles over this run.
Back to the Top
2021-22 saw the Celtics reach their first NBA Finals series in over a decade, but they couldn't get past the Golden State Warriors and lost in six games.
Despite their relatively average form in recent seasons, when compared to their earlier title successes, the Boston Celtics are certainly one of the most popular teams in the country, and that's why getting tickets to see them in action at the TD Garden is at a premium.