Answering the Question: Can the Celtics Win Without Cousy?
The Boston Celtics have won a league-high 18 championships, and this month, we are recapping each of those title years. In 1964, the Celtics proved they could win without the legendary Bob Cousy. After Cousy's retirement, the team entered the 1963-64 season with a new point guard for the first time in 13 years. K.C. Jones, with five years of experience as Cousy's backup, was more than ready to take the reins.
The Celtics were going after their sixth straight NBA title, which would set a record for longest championship run in U.S. professional sports history. If you think that was the buzz about the team, you would be wrong, because the questions being asked by fans and media were: “Can the Celtics win again without Cousy?” “Is the dynasty over?”
The Celtics players reacted to all this talk as champions should. They had won in 1963 so that Cousy could go out on top, and now they were determined to prove they could win without him. So, despite all their success, “Nobody believed in us!” essentially became their motivation for the season.
The Regular Season
The Celtics wasted no time in staking their claim. They began the season by winning 15 of their first 16 games, the one loss being by a single point on the road to the Cincinnati Royals. The Cs also ended the season on a 14-2 run to finish with a league-best 59-21 record. As it turned out, Boston won the season series against every team except Cincinnati, going 5-7. This reflected how well Oscar Robertson performed throughout the 80-game schedule.
The Big O's Dominance
Oscar Robertson won the vote for MVP, ending Russell's three-year streak. Russell did lead the league in rebounding with a career-high 24.7 average. Robertson averaged 31.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and a league-high 11.0 assists per game for the Royals, who finished second-best in the league at 55-25.
The Rift Between Heinsohn and Brown
An unusual rift occurred in January 1964 between Celtics founder/owner Walter Brown and his star power forward, Tommy Heinsohn, in his role as president of the NBA Players Association. The players union was founded in 1954 mainly through the efforts of Bob Cousy. Heinsohn succeeded him in 1958.
The Threat of a Strike
The owners had promised to consider starting a pension fund for union members, but had for a long period been dragging their feet on following through. With the 1964 All-Star game scheduled for Boston Garden, Heinsohn persuaded his fellow stars to threaten a strike unless the owners took action that night. The union was leveraging that the owners would not jeopardize the national television broadcast of the game.
Last Result: Boston Celtics 100-109 Philadelphia 76ers (2026-05-02)
The Celtics' success in 1964 was a testament to their depth and determination. They proved that they could win without Cousy, and set the stage for future championships. Last result: Boston Celtics 100-109 Philadelphia 76ers (2026-05-02). Recent form (last 5): 0W-0D-5L (LLLLL, most recent first); lost the last 5.
