1968–69 Boston Celtics season

NBA basketball team season (won championship)

NBA professional basketball team season
1968–69 Boston Celtics season
NBA champions
Head coachBill Russell
General managerRed Auerbach
ArenaBoston Garden
Results
Record48–34 (.585)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Eastern)
Playoff finishNBA Champions
(Defeated Lakers 4–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWKBG-TV
WSBK-TV
RadioWHDH
< 1967–68 1969–70 >

The 1968–69 Boston Celtics season was their 23rd season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. The Celtics won their 11th championship and that was Bill Russell's final season. The Celtics had the best team defensive rating and the tenth best team offensive rating in the NBA.

Draft picks

This table only displays picks through the second round.

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 12 Don Chaney SG  United States Houston

Roster

1968–69 Boston Celtics roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
C 28 Barnes, Jim 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1941-04-13 UTEP
PG 7 Bryant, Em 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1938-11-04 DePaul
SG 12 Chaney, Don 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1946-03-22 Houston
PG 11 Graham, Mal 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1945-02-23 NYU
SG 17 Havlicek, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 203 lb (92 kg) 1940-04-08 Ohio State
PF 18 Howell, Bailey 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1937-01-20 Mississippi State
C 26 Johnson, Rich 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1946-12-18 Grambling State
SG 24 Jones, Sam 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 198 lb (90 kg) 1933-06-24 North Carolina Central
SF 19 Nelson, Don 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1940-05-15 Iowa
PF 29 Olsen, Bud 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1940-07-25 Louisville
C 6 Russell, Bill (C) 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1934-02-12 San Francisco
SF 16 Sanders, Satch 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1938-11-08 NYU
PG 20 Siegfried, Larry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1939-05-22 Ohio State
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings

  • v
  • t
  • e
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Baltimore Bullets 57 25 .695 – 29–9 24–15 4–1 26–14
x-Philadelphia 76ers 55 27 .671 2 26–8 24–16 5–3 23–17
x-New York Knicks 54 28 .659 3 30–7 19–20 5–1 26–14
x-Boston Celtics 48 34 .585 9 24–12 21–19 3–3 23–17
Cincinnati Royals 41 41 .500 16 15-13 16–21 10–7 20–20
Detroit Pistons 32 50 .390 25 21–17 7–30 4–3 13–27
Milwaukee Bucks 27 55 .329 30 15–19 8–27 4–9 7–29

Record vs. opponents

1968-69 NBA Records
Team ATL BAL BOS CHI CIN DET LAL MIL NYK PHI PHO SDR SFW SEA
Atlanta — 2–4 3–3 6–1 4–2 6–0 3–4 4–2 2–4 1–5 6–0 3–4 4–3 4–2
Baltimore 4–2 — 5–2 6–0 4–3 7–0 3–3 5–1 3–4 2–4 6–0 5–1 3–3 4–2
Boston 3–3 2–5 — 4–2 5–2 5–1 2–4 5–1 1–6 5–2 6–0 4–2 3–3 3–3
Chicago 1–6 0–6 2–4 — 1–5 3–3 3–4 5–1 2–4 1–5 4–2 3–3 4–3 4–3
Cincinnati 2–4 3–4 2–5 5–1 — 3–4 2–4 5–1 4–2 3–4 4–2 2–4 3–3 3–3
Detroit 0–6 0–7 1–5 3–3 4–3 — 3–3 2–4 3–4 3–4 4–2 3–3 2–4 4–2
Los Angeles 4–3 3–3 4–2 4–3 4–2 3–3 — 5–1 5–1 1–5 6–0 7–0 4–3 5–1
Milwaukee 2–4 1–5 1–5 1–5 1–5 4–2 1–5 — 0–6 0–6 6–2 4–2 3–3 3–5
New York 4–2 4–3 6–1 4–2 2–4 4–3 1–5 6–0 — 4–3 5–1 3–3 5–1 6–0
Philadelphia 5–1 4–2 2–5 5–1 4–3 4–3 5–1 6–0 3–4 — 5–1 4–2 2–4 6–0
Phoenix 0–6 0–6 0–6 2–4 2–4 2–4 0–6 2–6 1–5 1–5 — 1–7 2–4 3–3
San Diego 4–3 1–5 2–4 3–3 4–2 3–3 0–7 2–4 3–3 2–4 7–1 — 3–3 3–3
San Francisco 3–4 3–3 3–3 3–4 3–3 4–2 3–4 3–3 1–5 4–2 4–2 3–3 — 4–3
Seattle 2–4 2–4 3–3 3–4 3–3 2–4 1–5 5–3 0–6 0–6 3–3 3–3 3–4 —

Game log

1968–69 Game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 October 18 @ Detroit 106–88 Larry Siegfried (26) 1–0
2 October 19 @ Chicago 106–96 Larry Siegfried (26) 2–0
3 October 23 Cincinnati 101–108 Howell, Sanders (21) 3–0
4 October 26 Milwaukee 89–102 Bailey Howell (19) 4–0
5 October 29 N Chicago 103–97 Bill Russell (17) 4–1
6 October 30 Detroit 119–117 Bailey Howell (33) 4–2
7 November 1 Philadelphia 99–118 Bailey Howell (32) 5–2
8 November 3 @ Atlanta 123–103 John Havlicek (28) 6–2
9 November 8 Seattle 114–112 Larry Siegfried (26) 6–3
10 November 9 @ Milwaukee 98–97 Sam Jones (24) 7–3
11 November 11 San Diego 113–134 John Havlicek (29) 8–3
12 November 15 Cincinnati 105–116 Bailey Howell (27) 9–3
13 November 16 @ San Diego 120–112 Sam Jones (24) 10–3
14 November 17 @ Phoenix 130–98 Bailey Howell (28) 11–3
15 November 19 @ Los Angeles 106–116 John Havlicek (32) 11–4
16 November 20 @ Seattle 139–92 Havlicek, Sanders (21) 12–4
17 November 22 Phoenix 106–133 Bailey Howell (28) 13–4
18 November 23 @ New York 100–111 John Havlicek (28) 13–5
19 November 27 New York 117–131 John Havlicek (31) 14–5
20 November 29 Los Angeles 93–92 John Havlicek (28) 14–6
21 November 30 @ Philadelphia 117–113 (OT) John Havlicek (36) 15–6
22 December 3 @ Milwaukee 137–115 John Havlicek (41) 16–6
23 December 4 Milwaukee 99–101 Bailey Howell (28) 17–6
24 December 6 Detroit 118–132 John Havlicek (36) 18–6
25 December 7 @ Cincinnati 117–114 (OT) John Havlicek (27) 19–6
26 December 10 Baltimore 115–101 Jim Barnes (19) 19–7
27 December 11 @ Detroit 108–106 Larry Siegfried (27) 20–7
28 December 13 San Francisco 108–98 Bailey Howell (33) 20–8
29 December 14 @ Baltimore 101–110 Larry Siegfried (25) 20–9
30 December 18 New York 104–98 Bailey Howell (31) 20–10
31 December 21 @ Chicago 102–94 John Havlicek (29) 21–10
32 December 26 Milwaukee 106–139 John Havlicek (29) 22–10
33 December 28 @ Atlanta 97–110 Satch Sanders (23) 22–11
34 December 31 Cincinnati 114–112 John Havlicek (30) 22–12
35 January 1 @ Phoenix 93–87 Havlicek, Howell (17) 23–12
36 January 2 @ San Diego 107–95 Havlicek, Sanders (23) 24–12
37 January 3 @ San Francisco 102–104 Satch Sanders (27) 24–13
38 January 5 @ San Francisco 134–86 John Havlicek (33) 25–13
39 January 6 @ Seattle 121–97 Don Nelson (28) 26–13
40 January 8 Detroit 104–113 John Havlicek (27) 27–13
41 January 10 Los Angeles 82–88 John Havlicek (24) 28–13
42 January 11 @ Philadelphia 111–101 Bailey Howell (31) 29–13
43 January 12 @ Milwaukee 110–114 Satch Sanders (23) 29–14
44 January 17 San Francisco 99–102 Bailey Howell (25) 30–14
45 January 18 Seattle 97–111 John Havlicek (28) 31–14
46 January 20 @ Baltimore 109–122 Sam Jones (35) 31–15
47 January 22 @ Chicago 94–95 Sam Jones (24) 31–16
48 January 24 Philadelphia 120–111 Bailey Howell (26) 31–17
49 January 26 Baltimore 86–124 Sam Jones (28) 32–17
50 January 28 Atlanta 96–108 Don Nelson (22) 33–17
51 January 29 N Seattle 124–122 (OT) Sam Jones (39) 33–18
52 January 31 Cincinnati 101–116 Bailey Howell (23) 34–18
53 February 1 @ New York 82–109 John Havlicek (16) 34–19
54 February 2 New York 95–94 John Havlicek (25) 34–20
55 February 4 N San Diego 135–126 John Havlicek (24) 34–21
56 February 5 @ Baltimore 112–124 Sam Jones (30) 34–22
57 February 7 Atlanta 109–107 Sam Jones (24) 34–23
58 February 9 Philadelphia 117–122 (OT) John Havlicek (31) 35–23
59 February 12 @ Detroit 113–106 Larry Siegfried (27) 36–23
60 February 14 @ Atlanta 101–104 (OT) John Havlicek (29) 36–24
61 February 16 @ Philadelphia 102–127 Sam Jones (30) 36–25
62 February 18 Phoenix 110–116 John Havlicek (20) 37–25
63 February 21 @ Los Angeles 124–102 John Havlicek (30) 38–25
64 February 22 @ Phoenix 124–100 John Havlicek (21) 39–25
65 February 23 @ Seattle 116–118 John Havlicek (25) 39–26
66 February 25 N Phoenix 99–112 Bailey Howell (27) 40–26
67 February 26 New York 92–88 Sam Jones (22) 40–27
68 February 28 Atlanta 120–122 Sam Jones (31) 41–27
69 March 1 @ New York 96–115 Bill Russell (17) 41–28
70 March 2 Chicago 92–99 Sam Jones (20) 42–28
71 March 4 @ San Francisco 95–99 John Havlicek (29) 42–29
72 March 6 @ San Diego 97–110 Bailey Howell (31) 42–30
73 March 7 @ Los Angeles 99–105 (OT) John Havlicek (26) 42–31
74 March 9 San Francisco 89–138 Larry Siegfried (25) 43–31
75 March 12 @ Philadelphia 126–117 Sam Jones (30) 44–31
76 March 13 @ Cincinnati 110–120 John Havlicek (27) 44–32
77 March 15 @ Baltimore 98–99 Sam Jones (28) 44–33
78 March 16 Los Angeles 108–73 John Havlicek (15) 44–34
79 March 19 Chicago 92–104 Bailey Howell (27) 45–34
80 March 21 N Cincinnati 119–145 Sam Jones (23) 46–34
81 March 23 Baltimore 98–126 Bailey Howell (22) 47–34
82 March 24 N San Diego 107–111 John Havlicek (31) 48–34

Playoffs

1969 playoff game log
Division Semifinals: 4–1 (home: 1–1; road: 3–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 March 26 @ Philadelphia W 114–100 John Havlicek (35) Bill Russell (15) Bill Russell (8) Spectrum
8,151 		1–0
2 March 28 Philadelphia W 134–103 Bailey Howell (29) Howell, Russell (16) John Havlicek (7) Boston Garden
13,751 		2–0
3 March 30 @ Philadelphia W 125–118 Sam Jones (28) Bill Russell (18) John Havlicek (10) Spectrum
15,244 		3–0
4 April 1 Philadelphia L 116–119 John Havlicek (28) Bill Russell (29) Bill Russell (5) Boston Garden
14,017 		3–1
5 April 4 @ Philadelphia W 93–90 John Havlicek (22) Bill Russell (18) Bill Russell (6) Spectrum
15,244 		4–1
Division Finals: 4–2 (home: 3–0; road: 1–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 6 @ New York W 108–100 John Havlicek (25) Bill Russell (16) Em Bryant (8) Madison Square Garden
19,500 		1–0
2 April 9 New York W 112–97 Bailey Howell (27) Bill Russell (29) John Havlicek (12) Boston Garden
14,933 		2–0
3 April 10 @ New York L 91–101 Russell, Bryant (16) Bill Russell (20) Russell, Havlicek (8) Madison Square Garden
19,500 		2–1
4 April 13 New York W 97–96 Bill Russell (21) Bill Russell (23) John Havlicek (4) Boston Garden
13,506 		3–1
5 April 14 @ New York L 104–112 John Havlicek (29) Bill Russell (16) John Havlicek (7) Madison Square Garden
19,500 		3–2
6 April 18 New York W 106–105 Sam Jones (29) Bill Russell (21) Russell, Havlicek (5) Boston Garden
14,933 		4–2
NBA Finals: 4–3 (home: 3–0; road: 1–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 23 @ Los Angeles L 118–120 John Havlicek (37) Bill Russell (27) Sam Jones (6) The Forum
17,554 		0–1
2 April 25 @ Los Angeles L 112–118 John Havlicek (43) Bill Russell (21) Bill Russell (13) The Forum
17,559 		0–2
3 April 27 Los Angeles W 111–105 John Havlicek (34) Bill Russell (18) John Havlicek (7) Boston Garden
14,037 		1–2
4 April 29 Los Angeles W 89–88 John Havlicek (21) Bill Russell (29) five players tied (2) Boston Garden
15,128 		2–2
5 May 1 @ Los Angeles L 104–117 Sam Jones (25) John Havlicek (14) Russell, Havlicek (5) The Forum
17,553 		2–3
6 May 3 Los Angeles W 99–90 Don Nelson (25) Bill Russell (19) Em Bryant (5) Boston Garden
15,128 		3–3
7 May 5 @ Los Angeles W 108–106 John Havlicek (26) Bill Russell (21) Bill Russell (6) The Forum
17,568 		4–3
1969 schedule

Awards, records and milestones

Awards

References

  • Celtics on Database Basketball
  • Celtics on Basketball Reference
  • v
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Boston Celtics 1968–69 NBA champions
  • Regular season
  • Playoffs
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Bold indicates NBA Finals victory