1961 NBA Finals Game 7 vs St. Louis Hawks
The Celtics' third straight title, and the Hawks' last Finals appearance to date.
The 1961 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1960-61 NBA season, won by the Boston Celtics 4 games to 1 over the St. Louis Hawks.
- Opponent
- St. Louis Hawks
- Series Result
- Celtics win 4-3
- Location
- Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
- Key Figure
- Bill Russell (Defensive Anchor)
- Outcome
- NBA Championship
Lore & Background
For the Celtics, it was their third straight NBA title and fourth overall. This would be the last Finals appearance for the Hawks franchise to date.
In Their Own Story
The clock bled into the final minutes, and the air inside the Boston Garden turned thick with sweat and electric dread. Bob Pettit drove hard to the rim, his jumper falling just short as Bill Russell rose like a white-garbed guardian angel, swatting the ball into the third-row seats. The crowd erupted—a deafening roar that seemed to rattle the wooden rafters of the old arena. On the next possession, Sam Jones didn't blink; he calmly sank a mid-range jumper, his face a mask of ice amidst the chaos. The Hawks called timeout, but it was too late. The momentum had already tipped; Boston wasn't just playing for a win anymore, they were fighting to immortality.
Reader's Guide
The Celtics defeated the St. Louis Hawks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.
Did You Know?
- This was the fourth playoff meeting between the Celtics and Hawks, with the Celtics winning two of the first three meetings.
- Bill Sharman's final NBA game was in this series.
More in Iconic Games & Moments
Elsewhere in the Boston Celtics universe
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