The Boston Celtics won the 1976 NBA Finals, with JoJo White and John Havlicek leading the team.
What happened?
The Celtics defeated the Phoenix Suns in the series, with Game 5 going to triple overtime. The game is widely considered the NBA's Greatest Game. Glenn McDonald became a household name in New England for helping bring home Banner 13.
The regular season
The Celtics were 60-22 in 1975 and looking like a favorite to repeat, but they were upset in the Eastern finals by the Washington Bullets. The main rotation players included elite rebounder Paul Silas, crafty scorer Don Nelson, and energy guys Steve Kuberski and Kevin Stacom. Don Chaney, a starting guard for the ’74 champs, had scored a lucrative free agent contract from St. Louis of the rival American Basketball Association.
The Celtics began the 1975-76 season slowly, but a nine-game winning streak brought their record up to 19-8. Two more streaks, of seven and six games, helped them finish 54-28, first place in the East, behind only the Golden State Warriors. Cowens and Havlicek were voted All-NBA second team. This season also featured an amusing incident that pretty much represented Cowens’ style of play, as he body-blocked Houston guard Mike Newlin to the floor intentionally.
Charlie Scott’s Celtics odyssey
Hall of Fame guard Charlie Scott played 152 regular-season games and 27 playoff games over three seasons with Boston. He directly helped the Celtics win in 1976, but he indirectly determined the outcomes of several other years, as well. Scott’s transaction history also confirms the genius of Red Auerbach, the Celtics’ general manager. The Celtics were led by veterans John Havlicek, JoJo White, and Dave Cowens, all of whom were back for 1975-76 and surrounded by a strong supporting cast. With Last result: Boston Celtics 100-109 Philadelphia 76ers (2026-05-02), the team is looking to bounce back from their Recent form (last 5): 0W-0D-5L
