8 Consecutive NBA Titles (1959-1966)

Lore & Background

Led by Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, and Tom Heinsohn, the Celtics won their first NBA championship in 1957. After acquiring K.C. Jones in 1958, the team began a dynasty, winning eight straight titles from 1959 to 1966. During that time, they met the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals five times. The Celtics of the late 1950s–1960s are widely considered one of the most dominant teams of all time.

In Their Own Story

The air in Boston Garden was thick with humidity and floor wax, a familiar perfume for the 1965 Finals. Bill Russell stood at center court, scanning the Lakers' offense not with fear, but with cold calculation. He didn't need to score; he needed to be the wall that could not be breached. As the final buzzer sounded on another championship, the silence in the room spoke louder than cheers. There was no time for exuberant celebration, only the quiet realization of what they had done: eight times in a row, and the world knew that until further notice, the crown belonged to Boston.

Reader's Guide

The Celtics met the St. Louis Hawks in the Finals four times (1957, 1958, 1960, 1961), not five.

Did You Know?

• The Celtics' eight consecutive championships from 1959 to 1966 is the longest championship streak in U.S. professional sports history.
• Bill Russell won 11 NBA titles, the most by any NBA player.
• The Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals five times during the 1959–1966 streak.