1964 NBA Finals Game 7 vs San Francisco Warriors

Lore & Background

In 1964, the Celtics became the first NBA team to have an all African-American starting lineup. On December 26, 1964, Willie Naulls replaced an injured Tom Heinsohn, joining Tom 'Satch' Sanders, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, and Bill Russell in the starting lineup. The Celtics defeated St. Louis 97–84.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Boston Garden hung heavy, a mix of stale popcorn, floor wax, and the electric tension of a winner-take-all climax. Bill Russell stood under his own basket, eyes locked on the clock as the fourth quarter wound down; the scoreboard reflected an impossible reality for a Game 7: a massive, gaping lead for Boston. Across the hardwood, Wilt Chamberlain looked shattered, shoulders slumped after being hunted into oblivion by relentless double-teams from Sam Jones and John Havlicek. Near the scorer's table, Red Auerbach leaned back with a rare, serene smile, watching his team dismantle the greatest individual force in sports history not through heroics, but through the cold, beautiful precision of unselfish teamwork.

Did You Know?

• The Celtics won eight consecutive NBA championships from 1959 to 1966.
• Bill Russell won 11 NBA titles, the most by any NBA player.
• The Celtics' 18 championships are the most in NBA history.