Highest Franchise Winning Percentage in NBA History

Lore & Background

The Celtics' rise to dominance began in the late 1950s after acquiring Bill Russell in 1956. Led by Russell, Bob Cousy, and Tom Heinsohn, they won their first NBA championship in 1957. The team won eight consecutive NBA championships from 1959 to 1966. After Russell became player-coach, they won back-to-back titles in 1968 and 1969. In the mid-1970s, they won championships in 1974 and 1976 under Tom Heinsohn. In the 1980s, anchored by the 'Big Three' of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, they won championships in 1981, 1984, and 1986. After assembling a new 'Big Three' of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett, they won their 17th championship in 2008. Led by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, they defeated the Dallas Mavericks in 2024 to secure their 18th championship.

Reader's Guide

The Celtics have a notable rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers, who are second in NBA history with 17 championships. The teams have played a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, with the Celtics winning nine times. 41 members of the Basketball Hall of Fame have played for the Celtics. Four Celtics players have won the NBA Most Valuable Player award: Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Dave Cowens, and Larry Bird. In May 2025, the team was sold to private equity investor William Chisholm for $6.1 billion.

Did You Know?

• The team won eight consecutive NBA championships from 1959 to 1966, the longest championship streak in U.S. professional sports history.
• Bill Russell won 11 NBA titles as a player, the most by any NBA player.
• The Celtics' mascot 'Lucky the Leprechaun' nods to Boston's historically large Irish population and the Original Celtics.