Boston Celtics · Franchise era 1 of 7
Cousy and the early Celtics: the Boston Celtics story
Franchise era
1946–47—1955–56
Cousy and the early Celtics
Boston Celtics
The story in one sentence
Cousy and Sharman made Boston exciting and competitive while Red Auerbach assembled the pieces for a historic leap.
A fast-breaking foundation
Bob Cousy, Ed Macauley and Bill Sharman gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for russell's dynasty.
Timeline
How it unfolded
The foundation
The franchise context
Boston's history is the league's deepest championship lineage: Russell's standard, Havlicek and Cowens, Bird's revival, the 2008 Big Three and a homegrown Tatum–Brown champion.
1953
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks
1954
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers
1955
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers
April 30, 1956
The draft-night trade that created the Celtics dynasty
Red Auerbach sacrificed an established local star and another premium prospect for the defensive center he believed could complete Boston.
10Dynasty originApril 30, 1956BOS⇄STLBill Russell to BostonSt. Louis selected Bill Russell second and sent his rights to Boston for six-time All-Star Ed Macauley and the draft rights to Cliff Hagan.3 assets · 1 outcomes＋
The original receipt
Boston Celtics received
- • Draft rights to Bill Russell · No. 2
St. Louis Hawks received
- • Ed Macauley
- • Draft rights to Cliff Hagan
Russell won 11 championships in 13 seasons. Hagan and Macauley helped St. Louis win the 1958 title, but Boston acquired the foundation of the greatest dynasty in league history.
Open full trade tree →After 1955–56
What came next
Russell made defense, rebounding and team play the center of the sport, leading the most concentrated championship run in NBA history.
The core