Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are a National Basketball Association team based in Chicago, Illinois.

Franchise history

Early years

The Chicago Bulls are actually the third NBA team in Chicago, after the Packers/Zephyrs (now the Washington Wizards) and the Stags (1946-1950). The team began play for the 1966-67 season, and immediately posted the best record by an expansion team in NBA history, qualifying for the playoffs. Over the next few years, the Bulls assembled the pieces to be competitive, though they never quite reached the top. During the 1970s, the Bulls were known as a tough, defensive-minded team, built around hard-nosed defender Jerry Sloan, forwards Bob Love and Chet Walker, point guard Norm Van Lier, and center Tom Boerwinkle. Nevertheless, the team only won one division title, and never made it to the Finals.

By the late 1970s and early 80s, the team had hit the cellar of the league. Artis Gilmore, acquired in the ABA dispersal-draft in 1976, led a Bulls squad which included guard Reggie Theus, forward David Greenwood, and forward Orlando Woolridge. After Gilmore was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for center Dave Corzine, the Bulls employed a high-powered offense centered around Theus, and which soon included guards Quentin Daly and Ennis Whatley. However, with continued dismal results, the Bulls decided to change directions, trading Theus during the 1983-84 season.

Arrival of Michael Jordan

In the summer of 1984 the team's fortunes changed for good when it received the third pick of the NBA draft, after Houston and Portland. After the Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon and the Blazers jumped on Sam Bowie, the Bulls grabbed shooting guard Michael Jordan. Jordan would go on to redefine the game and rewrite its record books, establishing himself as arguably the greatest player ever.

The team, with new management in owner Jerry Reinsdorf and General Manager Jerry Krause, decided to rebuild around Jordan. Jordan set franchise records during his rookie campaign for scoring (3rd in the league) and steals (4th in the league), and led the Bulls back to the playoffs, for which he was rewarded with a berth on the All-NBA second team and Rookie of the Year.

In the offseason, the team acquired point guard John Paxson and drafted power forward Charles Oakley. Along with Jordan and center Dave Corzine, they provided much of the Bulls' offense for the next two years. After Jordan suffered a broken foot early in the season, the team also acquired NBA legend George Gervin to help with scoring, which he did, finishing second on the team to Woolridge in scoring. Jordan returned for the playoffs, and took the 8th-place Bulls up against the 67-15 Boston Celtics, led by Larry Bird. Though the Bulls were swept, Jordan recorded a playoff single-game record 63 points in Game 2, prompting Bird to call him 'God disguised as Michael Jordan.'

In 1986-87 Jordan continued his assault on the record books, leading the league in scoring with 37.1 points per game and being the first Bull named to the all-NBA first team. However, the Bulls were again swept by the Celtics in the playoffs. In 1987-88 Krause selected center Olden Polynice 8th overall and power forward Horace Grant 10th overall in the NBA draft, then sent Polynice to Seattle in a draft-day trade for the 5th selection, small forward Scottie Pippen. With Paxson and Jordan in the backcourt, Brad Sellers and Oakley at the forward spots, Corzine anchoring center, and rookies Pippen and Grant coming off the bench, the Bulls made major noise, winning 50 games and advancing to the Eastern Conference semi-finals, where they were beaten by the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Detroit Pistons in five games. However, for his efforts Jordan was named NBA Most Valuable Player, the first of five such awards.

The 1988-89 season marked a second straight year of major off-season moves. Popular power forward Charles Oakley, who had led the league in total rebounds in both '87 and '88, was traded to the New York Knicks for center Bill Cartwright and a draft pick which they used on center Will Perdue. The new starting lineup of Paxson, Jordan, Pippen, Grant, and Cartwright took some time to mesh, winning fewer games than the previous season, but making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were subdued in six games by the eventual NBA champion Pistons.

In 1989-90, Jordan led the league in scoring for the fourth straight season, and was joined on the all-star squad for the first time by Scottie Pippen. There was also a major change on the sidelines, where Doug Collins was replaced by assistant Phil Jackson, a specialist in the triangle offense. The Bulls also picked up rookie center Stacey King and rookie point guard B.J. Armstrong in the 1989 draft. With these additional pieces and the previous year's starting five, the Bulls again made it to the Conference Finals, and pushed the Pistons to seven games before being edged out for the third straight year by Detroit.

1990s and their first championship three-peat

By the 1990-91 season, the Bulls had run out of excuses, and charged through the year with a mission. They recorded a franchise record 61 wins, and romped through the playoffs, where they swept the Pistons in the conference finals and won the Finals in five over the Magic Johnson-led Lakers on June 12, 1991. Michael Jordan won regular season MVP and Finals MVP to go with his fifth straight scoring title.

The Bulls won their second straight title in 1991-92 after racking up another franchise record for wins with 67. They prevailed over the Portland Trail Blazers and Clyde Drexler in six games. Jordan won regular season MVP and Finals MVP once again, to go with his sixth straight scoring title.

In 1992-93 the Bulls did what no team had done since the legendary Celtics of the 60's by chalking up the three-peat over regular season MVP Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns, with John Paxson's historic shot heard around the world that gave them a 99-98 victory in Game six at Phoenix. Jordan was once again the Finals MVP after setting a Finals record for points per game. He also tied Wilt Chamberlain by winning his seventh straight scoring title.

During the summer, Jordan shocked the basketball community by announcing his retirement, only months after learning of his father's murder. The Bulls were led by Scottie Pippen, who had established himself as one of the top players in the league. He received help from Horace Grant and B.J. Armstrong, who were named to their first all-star games, where Pippen won the MVP award. The three were assisted by Cartwright, Perdue, shooting guard Pete Myers, and Croatian rookie forward Toni Kukoč. Despite the Bulls' amazing run during the regular season, where they won 55 games, they were beaten in seven games by the Knicks in the second round, after a controversial foul call by referee Hue Hollins in game 5 of that series.

Return of Jordan and another three-peat

In 1994, the Bulls lost Horace Grant and Bill Cartwright to free agency, but picked up all-star shooting guard Ron Harper. The Bulls sported the look of Armstrong and Harper in the backcourt, Pippen and Kukoc at the forward spots, and Perdue at center. They also had sharpshooter Steve Kerr, Myers, and centers Luc Longley and Bill Wennington. However, they were slumping during the season, when on March 17, 1995, they received the best possible news: Michael Jordan was coming out of retirement. He was soon among the best in the league again, scoring 55 points against the Knicks in only his fifth game back, and led the Bulls to the fifth seed in the playoffs, where they upset the Charlotte Hornets. However, Jordan was too rusty, and the Bulls still not strong enough to overcome the eventual Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic, which included Horace Grant. When Jordan returned to the Bulls, he initially wore No. 45 (which was his number while playing for the Birmingham Barons, a minor-league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox). This was because during his first retirement, his jersey had been retired. However, Jordan switched back to the familiar 23 later on and got fined.

In the offseason, the Bulls lost B.J. Armstrong in the expansion draft, but Krause pulled off a masterful deal by trading Will Perdue to the San Antonio Spurs for ballistic rebounder Dennis Rodman, who had won the past four rebounding titles. With a lineup of Harper, Jordan, Pippen, Rodman and Longley, and perhaps the league's best bench in Kerr, Kukoc, Wennington and guard Randy Brown, the Bulls posted one of the best single-season improvements in league history and the best single-season record, moving from 47-35 to 72-10, which remains the best record in the league for an 82-game season. Jordan won his eighth scoring title, and Rodman his fifth straight rebounding title, while Kerr led the league in three-point shooting. Jordan garnered the elusive triple-crown with the regular season MVP, all-star game MVP, and Finals MVP. Krause won executive of the year, Jackson coach of the year, and Kukoc was the sixth man of the year. Both Pippen and Jordan made the all-NBA first team, and Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman made the all-defensive first team. The team triumphed over Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp and the Seattle SuperSonics for their fourth title.

The Bulls repeated their excellence in 1996-97 by tying the second best record in league history at 69-13 and winning their fifth NBA championship over John Stockton, Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz. Jordan earned his second straight scoring title and ninth overall, while Rodman earned his sixth straight rebounding title.

They achieved the repeat three-peat by winning 62 regular season games and the 1998 NBA Finals. Jordan bagged his third straight scoring title and tenth overall, and his second triple crown with his fifth MVP award, third all-star game MVP, and sixth Finals MVP award. Rodman earned his record seventh straight rebounding title, as the Bulls upended the Jazz for the second straight year. In the sixth and final game of the championship series, after a controversial "no-call" for pushing off on Bryon Russell, Jordan stepped back and buried a game winning jumpshot with seconds left on the clock.

A dramatic dismantling

The summer of 1998 brought an abrupt end to the championship era. Krause felt that the Bulls were on the verge of being too old and unable to compete. He decided that the team's only choices were to rebuild or endure a slow decline. His plan was to sink the team and acquire high draft picks while clearing salary cap space to make a run at several promising free agents in two years' time. After having been vetoed in a previous attempt by owner Jerry Reinsdorf, Krause traded Scottie Pippen for cast-offs from the Houston Rockets, none of whom made the Bulls' roster. He did not re-sign Phil Jackson, prompting Michael Jordan to retire for the second time. Krause also declined to resign Dennis Rodman, and traded Luc Longley and Steve Kerr for draft picks. He hired a new coach with no professional experience, Tim Floyd, who had run a successful program at Iowa State University. With a new starting lineup of point guard Randy Brown, shooting guard Ron Harper, newcomer Brent Barry at small forward, power forward Toni Kukoc, and center Bill Wennington, the team began the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season. Kukoc led the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists, but with little help the team crashed and burned, winning 13 of 50 games.

Five difficult years

The previous year's dismal finish came with one highlight: the team won the draft lottery and the rights to power forward Elton Brand. Since the team lost Harper, Brown, Wennington and Barry in the offseason, Brand and fellow rookie Ron Artest led the team througout the year, especially after Kukoc missed most of the season due to injury and was then dealt for a draft pick at the trading deadline. Brand recorded the first 20-10 average for the Bulls since the days of Artis Gilmore. He led all rookies in scoring, rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage and minutes, while Artest led all rookies in steals and finished second on the team in scoring. For his efforts Brand was named 1999-2000 co-Rookie of the Year with Houston's Steve Francis, and to the all-rookie first team, while Artest was named to the all-rookie second team. However, the team established a franchise low at 17-65, second worst in the league.

After a summer in which the Bulls witnessed most major and minor free agents Tim Duncan, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Eddie Jones (basketball) and even Tim Thomas spurn them, Krause signed free agent center Brad Miller and shooting guard Ron Mercer, and drafted power forward Marcus Fizer and guard Jamal Crawford. Brand again led the team in scoring and rebounds with another 20-10 season, but the new acquisitions failed to make a major impact, and they finished with the worst record in team history at 15-67.

Krause shocked Bulls fans on draft day in 2001 when he traded franchise player Brand to the Los Angeles Clippers for second pick in the draft, Tyson Chandler. He also selected Eddy Curry with the fourth pick. Since both Chandler and Curry came straight out of high school, neither were expected to make much of a contribution for several years, but they were seen as potential franchise players. The team floundered without veteran leadership. At mid-season, the Bulls traded their top three scorers—Mercer, Artest, and Miller—to the Indiana Pacers for veteran guard Jalen Rose. There was also a change in coaching, with Floyd being dismissed in favor of assistant coach and former Bulls co-captain Bill Cartwright, following a series of arguments with players and management. The Bulls improved from 15 to 21 wins, although they were still tied for last in the league.

For the 2002-2003 season, the Bulls came to play with much optimism. They picked up college phenom Jay Williams with the second pick in the draft. Rose and Williams teamed with Crawford, Fizer, newcomer Donyell Marshall, Curry, Chandler, and guard Trenton Hassell to form a young and exciting nucleus which improved to 30-52 in Bill Cartwright's first full season as head coach. Curry led the league in field goal percentage, becoming the first Bull since Jordan to lead the league in a major statistical category.

During the summer of 2003, long-time GM Jerry Krause retired, and former player and announcer John Paxson was tabbed as his successor. Jay Williams, coming off a promising rookie campaign, was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. His contract was bought out by the Bulls in February 2004 and he has yet to return to the game. Paxson selected point guard Kirk Hinrich with the seventh pick in the draft, and signed veteran free agent and former franchise player Scottie Pippen. With Pippen playing, Cartwright at the sidelines, and Paxson in the front office, the Bulls hoped that some of the championship magic from before would return.

However, the 2003-2004 season was a resounding disappointment. Eddy Curry regressed, leading to questions about his conditioning and commitment. Tyson Chandler was plagued by a chronic back injury, missing more than thirty games. Pippen's ability to influence games was impaired by knee problems, and he openly contemplated retirement. Jamal Crawford remained inconsistent. Bill Cartwright was fired as head coach in December and replaced with former Phoenix coach Scott Skiles. A trade with the Toronto Raptors brought Antonio Davis and Jerome Williams in exchange for Rose and Marshall in what was seen as a major shift in team strategy from winning with athleticism to winning with hard work and defense. After struggling throughout the season, the Bulls finished with 23 wins and 59 losses, the second-worst record in the league. Crawford and Fizer were not re-signed. Hinrich provided the lone bright spot, becoming a fan favorite for his gritty determination and athletic ability. He won a place on the All-Rookie first team.

improvement

During the 2004 off-season, Paxson traded a 2005 draft pick to the Phoenix Suns in return for an additional pick in the 2004 draft. He used the picks to select University of Connecticut guard Ben Gordon and Duke small forward Luol Deng in the first round, and Duke point guard Chris Duhon in the second. Paxson also signed free agent small forward Andres Nocioni, who had recently won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the Argentinian national team. After a discouraging 0-9 start to the 2004-05 season, by December the Bulls began to show signs of improvement, relying on solid performances by their four rookies and by Hinrich, Chandler, and Curry. The Bulls made it over .500 in their 39th game of the season, a win over the Atlanta Hawks. It was the first time the Bulls were over .500 since November 2002, and the latest into the season they were over .500 since 1998.

The Bulls finished the regular season with the 3rd best record in the Eastern Conference and clinched their first playoff berth since 1998 with a 110-97 win over the Toronto Raptors. Unfortunately, injuries late in the season cost them the services of Deng and Curry, leaving the team without a dependable scoring presence in the middle. Coincidentally, the team they faced in the first round was the Washington Wizards, the team Jordan played for when he came out of retirement for a second time. However, despite opening the series with two electrifying wins at home, the injury-depleted Bulls lost the next four games and the series. Ben Gordon became the first rookie to win the NBA Sixth Man Award and the first Bull to win the award since 1996 with Toni Kukoč. During the off-season, the Bulls re-signed free agent Tyson Chandler and added journeyman power forwards Darius Songaila and Malik Allen. However, Eddy Curry, also a free agent, has been faced with possibly serious heart disease, and after his refusal to participate in a DNA test, was traded to the New York Knicks for Michael Sweetney, Tim Thomas, future draft picks, and various other players included for salary-matching purposes.

Players of Note

Chicago Bulls Current Roster
Head Coach: Scott Skiles				Edit
PF	35		Malik Allen	(Villanova)
SF	13		Eddie Basden	(Charlotte)
C	3		Tyson Chandler	(Dominguez HS, Compton, CA)
G-F	9		Luol Deng	(Duke)
PG	21		Chris Duhon - Captain	(Duke)
SG	7		Ben Gordon	(UConn)
	1		Stephen Graham	(Oklahoma State)
PF	36		Othella Harrington - Captain	(Georgetown)
SG	12		Kirk Hinrich - Captain	(Kansas)
SF	5		Andres Nocioni	(Argentina)
G	15		Jannero Pargo	(Arkansas)
SG	52		Eric Piatkowski	(Nebraska)
PF	25		Darius Songaila	(Wake Forest)
PF	50		Mike Sweetney	(Georgetown)
SF	2		Tim Thomas	(Villanova)
(FA) - Free Agent				Chicago Bulls

Basketball Hall of Famers

• George Gervin
• Robert Parish
• Nate Thurmond

Not to be forgotten

• B.J. Armstrong
• Ron Artest
• Bob Boozer
• Elton Brand
• Bill Cartwright
• Artis Gilmore
• Horace Grant
• Ron Harper
• Craig Hodges
• Michael Jordan
• Johnny Kerr
• Steve Kerr
• Toni Kukoč
• Luc Longley
• Bob Love
• Brad Miller
• Charles Oakley
• John Paxson
• Will Perdue
• Scottie Pippen
• Dennis Rodman
• Jerry Sloan
• Reggie Theus
• Norm Van Lier
• Chet Walker
• Bill Wennington
• Orlando Woolridge

Retired numbers

• 4 Jerry Sloan, G, 1966-76
• 10 Bob Love, F, 1968-76
• 23 Michael Jordan, G, 1984-93 & 1995-98
• 33 Scottie Pippen, F, 1987-98, 2003-04

• Phil Jackson, Head Coach, 1989-98
• Jerry Krause, General Manager, 1985-2003

Note: Jackson and Krause do not have actual numbers retired in their honor; rather, a pair of banners that hang from the rafters pay tribute to them.

Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks are a National Basketball Association (NBA) team based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Franchise history

The franchise was formed in 1946 as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks of the National Basketball League; it was based in the tri-city area between Moline, Illinois, Rock Island, Illinois, and Davenport, Iowa. When the NBL merged with the Basketball Association of America to form the NBA, the Blackhawks reached the playoffs in the NBA's inaugural year, under the leadership of coach Red Auerbach. However, the following season, after the team drafted Bob Cousy and made the blunder of trading his rights to the Chicago Stags (who would later surrender him in a dispersal draft to the Celtics after they folded), they failed to qualify for the postseason. In 1951, the franchise relocated to Milwaukee and became the Hawks. In 1953, the Hawks drafted Bob Pettit, a future NBA MVP. Despite this, the Hawks were one of the league's worst teams, and in 1955 the Hawks moved yet again, this time to St. Louis, Missouri.

With acquisitions in the draft and free agency, the Hawks became of the league's top teams. In 1957, the team advanced to the NBA Finals, losing to the Boston Celtics in a double-overtime thriller in game seven. In 1958, the Hawks again advanced to the NBA Finals under coach Alex Hannum and captured their only NBA Championship in game 6 against the Celtics.

The Hawks remained one the NBA's premier teams for the next decade. In 1960, under coach Ed Macauley, the team advanced to the Finals yet again, but lost- again- to the Celtics in yet another game seven thriller. The following year, with the acquisition of rookie Lenny Wilkens, the Hawks repeated their success, but met the Celtics in the Finals again and lost in five games.

The next few years the Hawks remained contenders, every year advancing deep into the playoffs and also capturing several division titles. In 1968, however, with new owners Thomas Cousins and Carl Sanders, the team moved to Atlanta, Georgia. The following years after the move showcased a talented Hawks team, including Pete Maravich, which won a division championship and advanced to the Finals yet again. However, after this period of success, the Hawks experienced a few years of rebuilding; the Hawks had all losing records in those years and never advanced past the first round of the playoffs.

In 1977 Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner bought the team and hired Hubie Brown to become head coach. In 1979 the Hawks team finished with 50 wins and won the Central Division. In 1982 the franchise acquired superstar Dominique Wilkins, and in the next four seasons the team had more than 50 victories each season. However, the team could not advance past the semifinals of the playoffs. In 1993, Lenny Wilkens was hired as coach. In the 1993- 1994 season coach Wilkens led the team to 57 victories, a team record, and in 1995 Wilkens broke the record (previously held by former Hawk coach Red Auerbach) for most victories by an NBA head coach with victory number 939.

However, in recent years the Hawks team has struggled, yet again becoming one of the league's worst teams. In March 2004 the team was sold to a group of executives by the name of Atlanta Spirit LLC [1] by Time Warner (who inheirited the Hawks and Braves upon its merger with Turner Broadcasting in 1996), along with the Atlanta Thrashers pro ice hockey team, with which the Hawks share the Philips Arena. After the change in ownership, though, the Hawks still struggled. In the 2004-2005 season the Hawks gained the notorious reputation of the league's worst team with a mere 13 victories (five less than even the expansion Charlotte Bobcats and the struggling New Orleans Hornets). Despite their league worst-record, though, the Hawks only landed the number two pick in the 2005 NBA Draft (the first pick went to the Milwaukee Bucks). With the 2nd pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks selected Marvin Williams of the University of North Carolina. Marvin Williams is considered to be the player with the most potential and marketablity of the draft class. Additionally, the Hawks have Josh Childress, Josh Smith, Salim Stoudamire, and nearly $25 million in cap space for 2005 free agent market. In the summer of 2005, the Hawks completed a sign-trade deal with the Phoenix Suns that landed Atlanta Joe Johnson in return for Boris Diaw and 2 future 1st round picks. They also signed Zaza Pachulia from the Milwaukee Bucks. These changes occurred after an ugly power struggle between the owners for nearly 3 weeks before the moves were made. [2]

Recently, the Hawks have shown some improvement. Even with a league-worst record, they still managed to triumph over the defending champion the San Antonio Spurs, 94-84.

Players of note

Basketball Hall of Famers:

• Walt Bellamy
• Cliff Hagan (St. Louis)
• Pete Maravich
• Bob Pettit (St. Louis)

Hagan, Pettit, Ed Macauley, Lenny Wilkens and Bob Ferry, all of whom played for the Hawks in St. Louis, have been inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Retired Numbers

• 9 Bob Pettit, F, 1954-65 (1954-55 Milwaukee, 1955-65 St. Louis)
• 17 Ted Turner, team owner, 1977-2004 (17 for his cable-TV empire, which began with Atlanta's Channel 17, WTBS)
• 21 Dominique Wilkins, F, 1983-94
• 23 Lou Hudson, F, 1966-77 (1966-68 St. Louis, 1968-77 Atlanta)
• 40 Jason Collier, F/G 2003-05 (2000-2003 Houston Rockets)

Hudson and Wilkins have also been elected to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.

Not to be forgotten:

• Stacey Augmon
• Zelmo Beaty
• Mookie Blaylock
• Hubie Brown (coach)
• John Drew
• Jon Koncak
• Christian Laettner
• Doc Rivers

Current roster:

Atlanta Hawks Current Roster
Head Coach: Mike Woodson				Edit
C	11		Esteban Batista	(Uruguay)
G/F	1		Josh Childress	(Stanford)
G	00		Tony Delk	(Kentucky)
C	54		John Edwards	(Kent State)
F	3		Al Harrington	(St. Patrick's HS, New Jersey)
G	36		Royal Ivey	(Texas)
PG/SG	2		Joe Johnson	(Arkansas)
G	10		Tyronn Lue	(Nebraska)
PF/C	27		Zaza Pachulia	(Georgia)
G	15		Donta Smith	(Southeastern Illinois JC)
G/F	5		Josh Smith	(Oak Hill Academy, Mouth Of Wilson, Virginia)
G	20		Salim Stoudamire	(Arizona)
F	24		Marvin Williams	(North Carolina)
(FA) - Free Agent				Atlanta Hawks

Coaches and others

Basketball Hall of Famers:

• Lenny Wilkens

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Their 16 NBA world championships are the most of any basketball franchise.

Franchise History

The Celtics were formed in 1946 as a team in the Basketball Association of America. After the merger of the BAA and the National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association. The Celtics had struggled during their early years. But the hiring of Coach Red Auerbach would change all that. One of the first major players to join the Celtics was Bob Cousy. Auerbach at first refused to draft him. Cousy eventually became the property of the Chicago Stags. When that franchise went bankrupt, Cousy was acquired by the Celtics in a dispersal draft. Cousy would become a huge part of the Celtic's success and would become good friends with his new coach in time. Under Auerbach, the Celtics acquired rookie Bill Russell in 1956. Russell was even more of an important acquistion than Cousy. He was the player Auerbach would build the Celtics around for more than a decade. Russell had an immediate impact during the 1956 season; the Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals and defeated the then St. Louis Hawks in seven games, giving the Celtics the first of their record 16 NBA Championships. In 1957, the Celtics again advanced to the NBA Finals, this time losing to the Hawks in 6 games. However, with the acquisition of K.C. Jones, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last 8 seasons.

In 1959, with Russell and Jones, the Celtics won the NBA Championship with the sweep of the Minneapolis Lakers. Still coached by Auerbach, the Celtics won another seven championships, making eight championships in a row. During that timespan, the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals six times, starting an intense and sometimes bitter rivalry. The Celtics would eventually meet the Lakers a total of 10 times in the NBA Finals. After the 1966 championship Auerbach retired as coach but remained General Manager, a position he would hold well into the 1980s. Russell took over as a player-coach. However, that year the Celtics' string of NBA titles was broken. The aging team managed two more championships in 1968 and 1969, each against the Lakers in the NBA Finals. Russell retired after the 1969 season, effectively ending a dominant Celtics dynasty that had garnered 11 NBA titles. The streak of 8 consecutive NBA championships is the longest streak of consecutive championships in U.S. sports history. Other important players during this era included Sam Jones, John Havlicek, and Tommy Heinsohn.

The next season was one of rebuilding as the Celtics had their first losing record in a long time. However, with Dave Cowens, Paul Silas, and Jo Jo White, the Celtics became dominant again. In 1974 the team bested the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals, and in 1976 the team won yet another championship after defeating the Phoenix Suns. The 1976 NBA Finals featured one of the greatest games in the history of the NBA. With the series tied at two games a piece, the Suns trailed early in the Boston Garden, yet came back to force overtime. In double overtime, a Gar Heard turn-around jumper at the top of the key sent the game to an unprecedented third overtime, at which point the Celtics prevailed. Tommy Heinsohn coached the team for those two championships. After the 1976 victory, though, Boston went into another phase of rebuilding.

The rebuilding phase only lasted two years. Auerbach selected Larry Bird in the 1979 NBA College Draft. Bird elected to remain in College for his senior year but the Celtics retained his rights (something that couldn't happen in today's NBA). Bird would debut for the Celtics during the 1980 season, a year after his selection, and go on to win Rookie of the Year honors. Bird was joined by another Celtics draft pick, Kevin McHale, and trade acquisition Robert Parish. With these three future hall of famers in place, the Celtics yet again became a dominant team in the NBA. At this time the Celtics also had Cedric Maxwell, a solid veteran who was part of the first "Bird Era" championship team. The Celtics went on to capture the NBA Championship in 1981, just two years after Bird had been drafted, under head coach Bill Fitch.

K.C. Jones was named head coach after Fitch's reign ended. Under their new coach, the Celtics would fail to achieve postseason glory for a few more years. The Celtics added players like Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson, and M.L. Carr. In 1984 the Celtics would come back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, thus winning their 15th championship. Bird renewed his college rivalery with Lakers (and former Michigan State) star Magic Johnson during this series. In 1985, the Lakers and Celtics would meet again. But this time the Lakers would take home the championship. During the following offseason the Celtics acquired Bill Walton from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Cedric Maxwell. Walton was a future Hall of Famer and had been a big star with the Portland Trailblazers, but injuries had kept him from living up to the expectations people had of him. He was also a lifelong Celtics fan. He would be a big part of the Celtics' success in 1986. That year the Celtics would field one of the best teams in NBA history. The Celtics would win their 16th and last championship to date, easily defeating the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals. Jones had led the Celtics to four consecutive NBA Finals appearances against the Lakers and Houston Rockets when all was said and done. Bill Walton would not stay with the team much longer as injuries would force his retirement. The Celtics would remain competitive for the rest of the 80's, but would only return once (1987 - losing 4-2 to the Lakers) to the NBA Finals again after 1986.

The Celtics drafted Len Bias in 1987 NBA Draft and had high hopes for the young University of Maryland star. Fans believed Bias, who had superstar potential, would be the perfect complement to the aging but still strong Celtics, and he ensured the franchise would remain a powerhouse after Bird, McHale and Parish retired. Tragically, Bias passed away the night after he was drafted, after experimenting with cocaine at a party and overdosing. It would be the first in a long string of bad luck for the Celtics, and many fans believe the Celtics have never recovered from the loss of Bias.

The era of the great teams of the 1980's drew to close as Larry Bird began to experience back trouble and Kevin McHale and Robert Parish's skills began to diminish with age. In 1992, the Celtics won their last Atlantic Division Championship until the 2004-2005 season. Bird retired soon after due to his back injures, after thirteen seasons with the club. By this time former player Chris Ford was the coach of the Celtics. Reggie Lewis was seen as Bird's successor and became the new franchise player for the Celtics. In 1995 the Celtics moved from the Boston Garden into the Fleet Center (recently renamed the TD Banknorth Garden).

Lewis, a forward fainted during a playoff matchup with the Charlotte Hornets. It was later revealed that Lewis had heart problems, yet he was able to get doctors to clear him for a comeback. He died of a heart attack after parcipating in a pickup basketball game during the offseason. The Celtics honored his memory during the following season by retiring his number.

Former player M.L. Carr soon became the team's General Manager and drafted young players like Eric Montross and Eric Williams. He later fired Chris Ford and took the coaching reins himself. After a somewhat disappointing season, the Celtics made the Playoffs only to be easy dealt with in the first round by the Orlando Magic. Robert Parish left the team via free agency in 1994. The Celtics continued to play in medicority for the next few years and would fail to make the playoffs.

M.L. Carr stepped aside to another job in the organization when the Celtics acquired Rick Pitino to serve as the team's President, Front Office Manager, and Head Coach. Pitino had led the University of Kentucky to an NCCA Championship and was a very successful head coach, with a short NBA stint with the New York Knicks several years prior. Unfortunately for the Celtics, Pitino was not the savior everyone expected him to be, though he did bring several talented young players to the team during his tenure. The Celtics finished last in the NBA (overall) during the next season, but failed to win the NBA's Draft Lottery, to determine who got the first pick in the college draft (the team that finishes last has the best chance to pick first, but no guarantee). The Celtics received the third and sixth picks instead. They drafted Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer, two players would would not remain fixtures on the team in the long term (although Billups would go onto later success with the Detroit Pistons). The following year the Celtics drafted future star Antoine Walker, and the year after that drafted Paul Pierce, a college star who had been expected to go much sooner than the Celtics' pick at number 11 overall. Other notable players Pitino acquired were Walter McCarty, Tony Delk, Eric Williams (re-acquired after leaving the team), and veteran Kenny Anderson.

Pitino failed to coach any successful teams and resigned in 2001, leaving the Celtics in the hands of Assistant Coach Jim O'Brien, a friend of Pitino's who took the reins as Interim Head Coach. Chris Wallace became the de facto front Office Manager as General Manager of the team. Ironically, the Celtics greatly improved after the coaching change. Paul Pierce matured into an NBA Star and was complemented by Antoine Walker, along with the other young veteran players acquired over the years. O'Brien was later made the permanent head coach. The Celtics had three picks in the draft that year, but O'Brien used them on players who did not work out in the long run (including Joe Johnson, who would have later success with the Phoenix Suns). The Celtics made the playoffs for the first time in years the following season. The team made it as far as the Eastern Conference Finals, losing to the New Jersey Nets. In 2003 the Celtics made it back to the playoffs (but were eliminated in the second round this time, also by the Nets).

Before their elimination, the team hired Danny Ainge to take over the front office, pushing Chris Wallace to another job in the organization. Ainge believed the team had reached its peak and promptly traded many of its stars throughout the next season. Antoine Walker was the most notable to go, being traded during training Camp to the Mavericks (along with Tony Delk). Eric Williams and Kenny Anderson also left during that year. The Celtics however acquired Ricky Davis, Mark Blount, Raef LaFrentz and others. The team stuggled a bit as they tried to find their new identity. Jim O'Brien stepped down during the 2004 season to be replaced by Interim Coach John Carroll. The Celtics made the playoffs only to be swept in the first round by the Indiana Pacers. Ainge took a lot of critism for breaking up the previous team, but he was able to have a few successful drafts, including picks like Marcus Banks, Al Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins, Delonte West and others. During his second off season Ainge was able to unload a some pay roll when he acquired veterans Gary Payton and Rick Fox from the Los Angeles Lakers. Fox retired before playing with the team and Payton threatened not to go to training camp. Payton ended up playing for the team during the that season (2004-2005). The Celtics were a young team under new coach Doc Rivers, yet they seemed to have a core of good young players, led by rookie Al Jefferson, with some good veterans (Paul Pierce, Raef LaFrentz, and Ricky Davis). Before the trading deadline in the winter of 2005 the Celtics re-acquired Antoine Walker when they dealt Gary Payton to the Atlanta Hawks (Payton would re-sign with the team after being released from the Hawks a week later). With Walker back in the fold, the Celtics improved enormously. They won their first Atlantic Divison title since 1993. The Pacers, however, defeated them in the first round yet again.

Payton and Walker both became free agents. Walker was traded to the Miami Heat in a multi team deal (it was a sign and trade deal) that brought the Celtics some young talent. Payton also signed with the Heat during the off season. Ainge brought in a few more young players during the draft.

As of 2005 the Celtics have never lost a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. They are a perfect 7-0 in these games, winning in 1957, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1969, 1974, and 1984.

Historical Rivalries

The Boston Celtics have had a longstanding rivalry, especially throughout the 80s, with the Los Angeles Lakers. At the height of the rivalry, the Lakers and Celtics would win 8 NBA Championships in the decade (The Lakers won 5 while the Celtics won 3), and would play each other in the NBA Finals 3 different times. The rivalry was cooled off as the Celtics slipped into mediocrity in the 90s, but Lakers-Celtics is considered by many NBA fans to be the league's greatest rivalry. The Celtics also have historical ties with the Philadelphia 76ers, who played with the Celtics in tense playoff series in the 60s and 80s.

Players of note

Basketball Hall of Famers:

• Nate Archibald
• Red Auerbach (as a coach)
• Larry Bird
• Walter A. Brown
• Bob Cousy
• Dave Cowens
• Wayne Embry (inducted as a contributor, not as a player; was the first African-American to serve both as a general manager and team president in the NBA)
• John Havlicek
• Tom Heinsohn
• Bailey Howell
• K. C. Jones
• Sam Jones
• Clyde Lovellette
• Ed Macauley
• Pete Maravich
• Kevin McHale
• Robert Parish
• Andy Phillip
• Frank Ramsey
• Arnie Risen
• Bill Russell
• Bill Sharman (inducted both as a Celtics player and as a coach, most notably with the Los Angeles Lakers)
• John Thompson (only played in the NBA for two years; inducted for his coaching career at Georgetown University)
• Bill Walton

Not to be forgotten:

• Danny Ainge
• Don Chaney
• Dennis Johnson
• Walter McCarty
• Paul Silas
• Antoine Walker

Retired numbers:

• 00 Robert Parish, C, 1980-94
• 1 Walter A. Brown, team founder-owner, 1946-65
• 2 Red Auerbach, Head Coach, 1950-66;, Executive, 1950-present
• 3 Dennis Johnson, G, 1983-90
• 6 Bill Russell, C, 1956-69; Head Coach, 1966-69
• 10 Jo Jo White, G, 1969-79
• 14 Bob Cousy, G, 1950-63; Broadcaster
• 15 Tom Heinsohn, F, 1956-65; Head Coach, 1969-78; Broadcaster
• 16 Satch Sanders, F, 1960-73
• 17 John Havlicek, F, 1962-78
• 18 * Jim Loscutoff, F, 1955-64
• 18 Dave Cowens, C, 1970-80; Head Coach, 1978-79
• 19 Don Nelson, F, 1965-76
• 21 Bill Sharman, G, 1951-61
• 22 Ed Macauley, C, 1950-56
• 23 Frank Ramsey, F, 1954-64
• 24 Sam Jones, G, 1957-69
• 25 K.C. Jones, G, 1958-67; Head Coach, 1983-88
• 31 Cedric Maxwell, F, 1977-85
• 32 Kevin McHale, F, 1980-93
• 33 Larry Bird, F, 1979-92
• 35 Reggie Lewis, G, 1987-93
• Microphone Johnny Most, Broadcaster, 1953-90

* Note: Loscutoff's 18 jersey was retired, but kept active for Dave Cowens. Instead of two 18s on their retired number banners, Loscutoff is reprsented by a square with the letters "LOSCY."

Other notable figures

• Len Bias
• Chuck Cooper (first black player drafted by an NBA team)

Current Roster (updated October 6, 2005)

Boston Celtics Current Roster
Head Coach: Doc Rivers				Edit
SG	42		Tony Allen	(Oklahoma State)
PG	11		Marcus Banks	(UNLV)
C	30		Mark Blount	(Pittsburgh)
G/F	12		Ricky Davis	(Iowa)
G	20		Dan Dickau	(Gonzaga)
F	4		Ryan Gomes	(Providence)
G/F	5		Gerald Green	(Gulf Shores Academy, Houston, Texas)
G	0		Orien Greene	(Louisiana-Lafayette)
PF	7		Al Jefferson	(Prentiss HS, Mississippi)
F/C	45		Raef LaFrentz	(Kansas)
C	43		Kendrick Perkins	(Clifton J. Ozen HS, Beaumont, Texas)
G/F	34		Paul Pierce	(Kansas)
SF	9		Justin Reed	(Ole Miss)
SF	44		Brian Scalabrine	(USC)
G	13		Delonte West	(Saint Joseph's)
(FA) - Free Agent				Boston Celtics

2004/2005 Season Coaching Staff

HEAD COACH: Doc Rivers
ASSISTANT COACHES: Dave Wohl, Tony Brown, Jim Brewer, Kevin Eastman, Armond Hill and Paul Pressey

2005 Draft picks

• 18th overall: Gerald Green, Gulf Shores Academy
• 50th overall: Ryan Gomes, Providence College
• 53rd overall: Orien Greene, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

The NBA Playoffs

The NBA Playoffs begin in late April, with eight teams in each conference qualifying for the playoffs. The top three seeds for each conference are determined by taking the winners of the conference's three divisions and ranking them by regular season record. The remaining five seeds are determined by taking the five teams with the next-best records from among the non-division winning teams in the conference. However, the seeding system has one feature that is unusual in North American sports; division champions do not necessarily have home-court advantage in the playoffs. Although the playoff brackets are not reseeded, home-court advantage is based strictly on regular-season record, without regard to whether a team won its division.

Having a higher seed offers several advantages. Since the first seed plays the eighth seed, the second seed plays the seventh seed, the third seed plays the sixth seed, and the fourth seed plays the fifth seed in the playoffs, having a higher seed generally means you will be facing a weaker team. The team in each series with the better record has home court advantage, including the First Round. This means that, for example, if the team who receives the 6 (six) seed has a better record than the team with the 3 (three) seed (seeded thus by virtue of a divisional championship), the 6 seed would have home court advantage, even though the other team has a higher seed. Therefore, the team with the best regular season record in the league is guaranteed home court advantage in every series it plays.

The playoffs follow a tournament format. Each team plays a rival in a best-of-seven series, with the first team to win four games advancing into the second round, while the other team is eliminated from the playoffs. In the next round, the successful team plays against another advancing team of the same conference. Thus, all but one team in each conference are eliminated from the playoffs. Since the NBA does not re-seed teams, the playoff bracket in each conference uses a traditional design, with the winner of the series matching the 1st and 8th seeded teams playing the winner of the series matching the 4th and 5th seeded teams, and the winner of the series matching the 2nd and 7th seeded teams playing the winner of the series matching the 3rd and 6th seeded teams. In every round except the NBA Finals, the best of seven series follows a 2-2-1-1-1 pattern, meaning that one team will have home court in games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while the other plays at home in games 3, 4, and 6. For the final round (NBA Finals), the series follows a 2-3-2 pattern.

The final playoff round, a best-of-seven series between the victors of both conferences, is known as the NBA Finals, and it is held annually in June. The victor in the NBA Finals wins the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. Each player and major contributor, including coaches and the general manager, on the winning team receive a championship ring. In addition, the league awards an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, which nearly always goes to a member of the winning team, though not by rule. There has been only one exception to date: Jerry West won the award in 1969 (the award's first season) even though his Los Angeles Lakers did not win the championship.

National Basketball Association NBA

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association, more commonly referred to as the NBA, is the world's premier men's professional basketball league and one of the major professional sports leagues of North America.

The league was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The league adopted the name National Basketball Association in the fall of 1949 after merging with the rival National Basketball League. The league's several international and individual team offices are directed out its head offices located in the Olympic Tower at 645 Fifth Avenue in New York City. NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Regular season

Following the summer break, teams hold training camps in October. Training camps allow the coaching staff to evaluate players (especially rookies), scout the team's strengths and weaknesses, prepare the players for the rigorous regular season, and determine the 12-man active roster (and a 3-man inactive list, if needed) with which they will begin the regular season. Teams have the ability to assign players with less than two years of experience to the NBA development league. After training camp, a series of preseason exhibition games are held. The NBA regular season begins in the first week of November.

In the regular season, each team plays 82 games, which are divided evenly between home and away games. Schedules are not identical for all teams. A team faces opponents in its own division four times a year, teams from the other two divisions in its conference either three or four times, and teams in the other conference twice apiece. A team can therefore have a relatively easy or difficult schedule, depending on the division and conference it is located in. Following the recent changes to the National Hockey League's scheduling format, the NBA is now the only major league in which all the teams play each other during the regular season, and where a season ticket holder can see every team in the league come to town in any one season.

In February, the NBA regular season is interrupted to celebrate the annual NBA All-Star Game. Fans are balloted throughout the United States, Canada and through the Internet, and the top vote-getters at each position in each conference are given a starting spot on their conference's All-Star team. Coaches vote to choose the remaining 14 All-Stars. Then, East faces West in the All-Star game. The player with the best performance during the game is rewarded with a Game MVP award. Other attractions of the All-Star break include the got milk? Rookie Challenge game, which pits the best rookies and the best second-year players against each other; the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, a competition between players to see who is the best 3-point shooter; and the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk contest, to see which player dunks the ball in the most entertaining way.

Shortly after the All-Star break is the league's trade deadline. After this date, teams are not allowed to exchange players with each other for the remainder of the season, although they may still sign and release players. Major trades are often completed right before the trading deadline, making that day a hectic time for general managers.

In April, the regular season ends. It is during this time that voting begins for individual awards, as well as the selection of the honorary league-wide postseason teams. The NBA Sixth Man Award is given to the best player coming off the bench (not starting for his team). The NBA Rookie of the Year Award is awarded to the best rookie player. The NBA Most Improved Player Award is awarded to the most improved player. The NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award is awarded to the league's best defender. The NBA Coach of the Year Award is awarded to either the best coach in the league or the coach that has made the most positive difference to a team. The NBA Most Valuable Player Award is given to player deemed the most valuable for that season. Additionally, The Sporting News awards an unofficial (but widely recognized) NBA Executive of the Year Award to the general manager who is adjudged to have done the best job for his franchise.

The postseason teams are the All-NBA Teams, the All-Defensive Teams, and the All-Rookie Teams; each consists of five players. There are three All-NBA teams, consisting of the top players at each position, with first-team status being most desirable. There are two All-Defensive teams, consisting of the top defenders at each position. There are also two All-Rookie teams, consisting of the top first-year players regardless of position.

History of NBA

The Basketball Association of America was founded in 1946 by the owners of major sports arenas in the Northeast and Midwest, most notably Madison Square Garden in New York City. Although there had been earlier attempts at professional basketball leagues, including the American Basketball League and the National Basketball League, the BAA was the first league to attempt to play primarily in large arenas in major cities. During its early years, though, the quality of play in the BAA was not obviously better than those other leagues or among leading independent clubs such as the Harlem Globetrotters. For instance the 1947 ABL finalist Baltimore Bullets moved to the BAA and won its 1948 title, followed by the 1948 NBL champion Minneapolis Lakers who won the 1949 BAA title.

Following the 1949 season, the BAA agreed to merge with the NBL, expanding the rechristened National Basketball Association to seventeen franchises located in a mix of large and small cities, as well as large arenas and smaller gymnasiums and armories. In 1950, the NBA consolidated to eleven franchises, a process that continued until 1954, when the league reached its smallest size of eight franchises, all of which are still in the league (the Knicks, Celtics, Warriors, Lakers, Royals/Kings, Pistons, Hawks, and Nationals/76ers).

While contracting, the league also saw its smaller city franchises move to larger cities. The Hawks shifted from "Tri-Cities" to Milwaukee and then to St. Louis; the Royals from Rochester to Cincinnati, the Pistons from Fort Wayne to Detroit.

1950 also saw the NBA integrate, with the addition of African American players by several teams including Chuck Cooper with the Boston Celtics, Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton with the New York Knicks, and Earl Lloyd with the Washington Capitols.

During this period, the Minneapolis Lakers, led by center George Mikan, won five NBA Championships and established themselves as its first dynasty.

To liven up play, the league introduced the 24 second shot clock in 1954.

In 1956, rookie center Bill Russell joined the Boston Celtics, who already featured guard Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach, and went on to lead the club to eleven NBA titles in thirteen seasons. Center Wilt Chamberlain entered the league in 1959 and became the dominant individual star of the 1960s, setting new records in scoring and rebounding. Russell's rivalry with Chamberlain became one of the great individual rivalries in the history of team sports.

Through this period, the NBA continued to strengthen with the shift of the Minneapolis Lakers to Los Angeles, the Philadelphia Warriors to San Francisco, and the Syracuse Nationals to Philadelphia, as well as the addition of its first expansion franchises.

In 1967, the league faced a new external threat with the formation of the American Basketball Association. The leagues engaged in a bidding war for talent. The NBA landed the most important college star of the era, Kareem Abdul Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor), who together with Oscar Robertson led the Milwaukee Bucks to a title in his second season, and who later played on five Laker championship teams.

However, the NBA's leading scorer, Rick Barry jumped to the ABA, as did four veteran referees -- Norm Drucker, Earl Strom, John Vanak and Joe Gushue.

The ABA also succeeded in signing a number of major stars, including Julius Erving, in part because it allowed teams to sign college undergraduates. The NBA expanded rapidly during this period, one purpose being to tie up most viable cities. Following the 1976 season, the leagues reached a settlement that provided for the addition of four ABA franchises to the NBA, raising the number of franchises in the league at that time to 22.

The league added the ABA's innovative three-point field goal beginning in 1979 to open up the game. That same year, rookies Larry Bird and Magic Johnson joined the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively, initiating a period of significant growth in fan interest in the NBA throughout the country and the world. Bird went on to lead the Celtics to three titles, and Johnson went on to lead the Lakers to five.

Michael Jordan, entered the league five years later with the Chicago Bulls, providing an even more popular star to support growing interest in the league. By 1989, further expansion had raised the number of teams in the league to 27. During the 1990s, Jordan went on to lead the Bulls to six titles.

The 1990s also saw greater globalization. The 1992 Olympic basketball Dream Team, the first to use current NBA stars, featured Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. A growing number of NBA star players also began coming from other countries. Initially, many of these players, such as 1994 NBA MVP Hakeem Olajuwon of Nigeria, first played NCAA basketball to enhance their skills. An increasing number, though, have moved directly from playing elsewhere in the world to starring in the NBA, such as 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year Pau Gasol of Spain, 2002 first pick in the NBA Draft Yao Ming of China, and 2004 Olympic Tournament MVP Emanuel Ginobili of Argentina. The NBA is now televised in 212 nations in 42 languages.

In 1996 the NBA created a women's league, the Women's National Basketball Association, and in 2002 created an affiliated minor league, the National Basketball Development League.

Today, the NBA has reached 30 franchises and continues to evolve as one of the premier sports leagues in the world.