Boston Celtics info

Boston Celtics ticket holders can say something that nearly no other set of fans in basketball can say: “Rick Pitino ruined our team.” While the Kentuckys and New York Knicks and Providences of the world look at Pitino like some sort of Patron Saint of Basketball, Celtic fans are left to wonder how they missed the boat. Pitino steered this storied franchise into the sea so thoroughly that the team has had one trip to the conference finals since 1989. This should never have happened to the Boston Celtics, the team with more championships than other. How far they have fallen. Thanks Rick.

Boston looks to mount yet another attempt at punching tickets to the NBA Finals in 2005. The team’s nucleus remains as Paul Pierce, the dynamic guard/forward, who has established himself as one of the NBA elite. Pierce and coach Doc Rivers hope to mold a team of unproven NBA commodities into an Eastern Conference contender. Players like Ricky Davis, Raef LaFrentz, and Delonte West have been joined by high school draftee Gerald Green to form yet another Celtics crew bent on breaking the “Pitino Curse” and giving Boston ticket holders a ride to the NBA Playoffs.

The history of the Celtics is so long and storied, a single write-up cannot do it justice. Suffice it to say that before Rick Pitino came along they were very, very good for a long, long time. They won the NBA championship 16 times, including 8 straight between 1959 and 1966.

Boston Celtic tickets holders have had the pleasure of watching the likes of Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, John Havlicek, Bill Cowens, Kevin McHale, and Larry Bird, to name a few from their honor roll. And through it all, Red Auerbach has been steering the ship.

Auerbach has served the Celtics as a coach in the 50’s and 60’s, and later became President of Basketball Operations. As a coach, Auerbach won 9 Championships and won more games than any other coach of his era. As an executive, he is credited for assembling the Hall-of-Fame team that brought the Celtics three NBA Championships in the 80’s, as well as the drafting of Larry Bird.

Auerbach works behind the scenes now, as his failing health keeps him from being on the frontlines. He has entrusted the team to former Celtic great Danny Ainge, who hired Rivers and put together this newest version of the Celtics. Led by Pierce, this team may have the potential to go great things. Time will tell whether the Boston Celtics can put Pitino behind them and NBA Playoff tickets in front of them.