1961β62 Boston Celtics season | |
---|---|
NBA champions | |
Division champions | |
Head coach | Red Auerbach |
Arena | Boston Garden |
Results | |
Record | 60–20 (.750) |
Place | Division: 1st ( Eastern) |
Playoff finish |
NBA Champions (Defeated Lakers 4β3) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | WHDH-TV |
Radio | WHDH |
The 1961β62 NBA season was the Celtics' 16th season in the NBA. The Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers to claim their fifth NBA Championship. They set new records with the most games won and the first NBA team to post 60 wins. Three years later, the Celtics would break this record with 62 wins in 1964β65 season.
The 1961 NBA draft took place on March 27, 1961.
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 9 | Gary Phillips | Guard | United States | Houston |
2 | 17 | Al Butler | Guard | United States | Niagara |
.
W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
x- Boston Celtics | 60 | 20 | .750 | β | 23β5 | 26β12 | 11β3 | 26β10 |
x- Philadelphia Warriors | 49 | 31 | .613 | 11 | 18β11 | 19β19 | 12β1 | 18β18 |
x- Syracuse Nationals | 41 | 39 | .513 | 19 | 18β10 | 11β19 | 12β10 | 17β19 |
New York Knicks | 29 | 51 | .363 | 31 | 19β15 | 2β23 | 8β13 | 11β25 |
1961-62 NBA Records | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | BOS | CHI | CIN | DET | LAL | NYK | PHI | STL | SYR |
Boston | β | 9β1 | 7β1 | 5β3 | 6β3 | 8β4 | 8β4 | 7β2 | 10β2 |
Chicago | 1β9 | β | 1β9 | 3β7 | 2β8 | 6β4 | 0β10 | 4β6 | 1β9 |
Cincinnati | 1β7 | 9β1 | β | 6β6 | 5β7 | 5β4 | 3β5 | 9β3 | 5β4 |
Detroit | 3β5 | 7β3 | 6β6 | β | 4β8 | 5β4 | 1β7 | 7β5 | 4β5 |
Los Angeles | 3β6 | 8β2 | 7β5 | 8β4 | β | 6β2 | 6β3 | 10β2 | 6β2 |
New York | 4β8 | 4β6 | 4β5 | 4β5 | 2β6 | β | 4β8 | 4β4 | 3β9 |
Philadelphia | 4β8 | 10β0 | 5β3 | 7β1 | 3β6 | 8β4 | β | 6β3 | 6β6 |
St. Louis | 2β7 | 6β4 | 3β9 | 5β7 | 2β10 | 4β4 | 3β6 | β | 4β4 |
Syracuse | 2β10 | 9β1 | 4β5 | 5β4 | 2β6 | 9β3 | 6β6 | 4β4 | β |
1961β62 Game log | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | |||||
1 | October 21 | Detroit | 102β137 | Tom Heinsohn (26) | 1β0 | |||||
2 | October 28 | New York | 102β132 | Tom Heinsohn (19) | 2β0 | |||||
3 | November 3 | @ Philadelphia | 112β98 | Bob Cousy (27) | 3β0 | |||||
4 | November 4 | Syracuse | 107β127 | Bob Cousy (23) | 4β0 | |||||
5 | November 9 | N Detroit | 116β110 | Bill Russell (28) | 4β1 | |||||
6 | November 11 | Philadelphia | 125β128 | Bill Russell (28) | 5β1 | |||||
7 | November 12 | @ Chicago | 112β96 | Bill Russell (28) | 6β1 | |||||
8 | November 14 | @ St. Louis | 119β117 | Bill Russell (35) | 7β1 | |||||
9 | November 16 | @ Cincinnati | 127β121 | Tom Heinsohn (29) | 8β1 | |||||
10 | November 17 | @ New York | 104β100 | Bill Russell (25) | 9β1 | |||||
11 | November 18 | Los Angeles | 103β101 | Tom Heinsohn (26) | 9β2 | |||||
12 | November 22 | St. Louis | 121β141 | Heinsohn, Sanders (22) | 10β2 | |||||
13 | November 23 | @ Philadelphia | 119β106 | Tom Heinsohn (31) | 11β2 | |||||
14 | November 25 | New York | 96β116 | Frank Ramsey (26) | 12β2 | |||||
15 | November 26 | @ Detroit | 107β101 | Sam Jones (28) | 13β2 | |||||
16 | November 28 | N Detroit | 108β116 | Bob Cousy (27) | 14β2 | |||||
17 | November 30 | N Cincinnati | 133β130 | Tom Heinsohn (31) | 14β3 | |||||
18 | December 1 | Chicago | 121β140 | Bill Russell (26) | 15β3 | |||||
19 | December 3 | @ Cincinnati | 119β96 | Bill Russell (23) | 16β3 | |||||
20 | December 6 | N Cincinnati | 102β103 | Bill Russell (28) | 17β3 | |||||
21 | December 8 | Syracuse | 111β123 | Tom Heinsohn (30) | 18β3 | |||||
22 | December 9 | @ Syracuse | 106β102 | Sam Jones (30) | 19β3 | |||||
23 | December 13 | Philadelphia | 113β123 | Sam Jones (35) | 20β3 | |||||
24 | December 14 | N Chicago | 108β123 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 21β3 | |||||
25 | December 16 | St. Louis | 113β130 | Bill Russell (25) | 22β3 | |||||
26 | December 17 | @ New York | 117β109 | Sam Jones (30) | 23β3 | |||||
27 | December 19 | @ Los Angeles | 101β104 | Sam Jones (26) | 23β4 | |||||
28 | December 21 | N New York | 103β122 | Satch Sanders (23) | 24β4 | |||||
29 | December 23 | New York | 111β122 | Bill Russell (31) | 25β4 | |||||
30 | December 25 | @ Syracuse | 127β122 | Tom Heinsohn (45) | 26β4 | |||||
31 | December 26 | Los Angeles | 117β129 | Bob Cousy (26) | 27β4 | |||||
32 | December 28 | @ St. Louis | 117β109 | Sam Jones (26) | 28β4 | |||||
33 | December 29 | @ New York | 100β110 | Bob Cousy (20) | 28β5 | |||||
34 | December 30 | @ Philadelphia | 116β111 | Sam Jones (36) | 29β5 | |||||
35 | January 2 | N St. Louis | 99β136 | Tom Heinsohn (25) | 30β5 | |||||
36 | January 3 | @ Detroit | 103β112 | Tom Heinsohn (23) | 30β6 | |||||
37 | January 5 | @ Cincinnati | 124β103 | Tom Heinsohn (31) | 31β6 | |||||
38 | January 7 | @ Los Angeles | 118β95 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 32β6 | |||||
39 | January 10 | @ Chicago | 90β103 | Bob Cousy (21) | 32β7 | |||||
40 | January 12 | Cincinnati | 125β141 | Tom Heinsohn (32) | 33β7 | |||||
41 | January 13 | N Syracuse | 127β117 | Tom Heinsohn (23) | 33β8 | |||||
42 | January 14 | Philadelphia | 136β145 | Sam Jones (30) | 34β8 | |||||
43 | January 17 | @ Detroit | 126β116 | Sam Jones (33) | 35β8 | |||||
44 | January 19 | Syracuse | 103β128 | Bill Russell (24) | 36β8 | |||||
45 | January 20 | @ Syracuse | 107β101 | Bill Russell (24) | 37β8 | |||||
46 | January 21 | Detroit | 124β120 | Tom Heinsohn (43) | 37β9 | |||||
47 | January 23 | N Los Angeles | 103β118 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 38β9 | |||||
48 | January 24 | St. Louis | 135β123 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 38β10 | |||||
49 | January 26 | @ New York | 121β129 | Frank Ramsey (38) | 38β11 | |||||
50 | January 27 | @ Philadelphia | 106β131 | Satch Sanders (24) | 38β12 | |||||
51 | January 28 | Philadelphia | 133β129 (OT) | Tom Heinsohn (31) | 38β13 | |||||
52 | January 31 | @ Chicago | 122β115 | Bob Cousy (27) | 39β13 | |||||
53 | February 1 | N Los Angeles | 115β130 | Sam Jones (22) | 40β13 | |||||
54 | February 2 | Cincinnati | 124β143 | Tom Heinsohn (24) | 41β13 | |||||
55 | February 4 | New York | 114β130 | Frank Ramsey (24) | 42β13 | |||||
56 | February 5 | @ Chicago | 127β111 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 43β13 | |||||
57 | February 6 | @ St. Louis | 129β114 | Heinsohn, S. Jones (24) | 44β13 | |||||
58 | February 8 | @ Syracuse | 110β122 | Sam Jones (26) | 44β14 | |||||
59 | February 9 | Philadelphia | 126β124 | Heinsohn, S. Jones (23) | 44β15 | |||||
60 | February 10 | @ Philadelphia | 106β107 | Sam Jones (21) | 44β16 | |||||
61 | February 11 | Chicago | 115β148 | Tom Heinsohn (42) | 45β16 | |||||
62 | February 13 | N Chicago | 117β138 | Tom Heinsohn (30) | 46β16 | |||||
63 | February 14 | @ New York | 112β125 | Bob Cousy (26) | 46β17 | |||||
64 | February 16 | N New York | 104β127 | Bob Cousy (28) | 47β17 | |||||
65 | February 18 | @ Los Angeles | 99β125 | Frank Ramsey (19) | 47β18 | |||||
66 | February 20 | @ Los Angeles | 115β96 | Satch Sanders (26) | 48β18 | |||||
67 | February 22 | N Syracuse | 106β134 | Bob Cousy (32) | 49β18 | |||||
68 | February 23 | Syracuse | 107β121 | Tom Heinsohn (31) | 50β18 | |||||
69 | February 24 | @ Philadelphia | 109β86 | Bob Cousy (22) | 51β18 | |||||
70 | February 25 | @ Syracuse | 110β106 | Bill Russell (23) | 52β18 | |||||
71 | February 27 | N Chicago | 100β115 | Heinsohn, Russell (20) | 53β18 | |||||
72 | February 28 | @ Cincinnati | 129β123 (OT) | Frank Ramsey (30) | 54β18 | |||||
73 | March 2 | @ St. Louis | 120β138 | Tom Heinsohn (22) | 54β19 | |||||
74 | March 4 | St. Louis | 120β123 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 55β19 | |||||
75 | March 6 | @ New York | 106β113 | Tom Heinsohn (30) | 55β20 | |||||
76 | March 7 | Philadelphia | 102β153 | Sam Jones (23) | 56β20 | |||||
77 | March 8 | @ Chicago | 108β102 | Bill Russell (27) | 57β20 | |||||
78 | March 9 | @ Detroit | 130β111 | Tom Heinsohn (32) | 58β20 | |||||
79 | March 11 | Los Angeles | 105β119 | Sam Jones (20) | 59β20 | |||||
80 | March 13 | Syracuse | 110β142 | Satch Sanders (30) | 60β20 |
1961β62 Boston Celtics season | |
---|---|
NBA champions | |
Division champions | |
Head coach | Red Auerbach |
Arena | Boston Garden |
Results | |
Record | 60–20 (.750) |
Place | Division: 1st ( Eastern) |
Playoff finish |
NBA Champions (Defeated Lakers 4β3) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | WHDH-TV |
Radio | WHDH |
The 1961β62 NBA season was the Celtics' 16th season in the NBA. The Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers to claim their fifth NBA Championship. They set new records with the most games won and the first NBA team to post 60 wins. Three years later, the Celtics would break this record with 62 wins in 1964β65 season.
The 1961 NBA draft took place on March 27, 1961.
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 9 | Gary Phillips | Guard | United States | Houston |
2 | 17 | Al Butler | Guard | United States | Niagara |
.
W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
x- Boston Celtics | 60 | 20 | .750 | β | 23β5 | 26β12 | 11β3 | 26β10 |
x- Philadelphia Warriors | 49 | 31 | .613 | 11 | 18β11 | 19β19 | 12β1 | 18β18 |
x- Syracuse Nationals | 41 | 39 | .513 | 19 | 18β10 | 11β19 | 12β10 | 17β19 |
New York Knicks | 29 | 51 | .363 | 31 | 19β15 | 2β23 | 8β13 | 11β25 |
1961-62 NBA Records | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | BOS | CHI | CIN | DET | LAL | NYK | PHI | STL | SYR |
Boston | β | 9β1 | 7β1 | 5β3 | 6β3 | 8β4 | 8β4 | 7β2 | 10β2 |
Chicago | 1β9 | β | 1β9 | 3β7 | 2β8 | 6β4 | 0β10 | 4β6 | 1β9 |
Cincinnati | 1β7 | 9β1 | β | 6β6 | 5β7 | 5β4 | 3β5 | 9β3 | 5β4 |
Detroit | 3β5 | 7β3 | 6β6 | β | 4β8 | 5β4 | 1β7 | 7β5 | 4β5 |
Los Angeles | 3β6 | 8β2 | 7β5 | 8β4 | β | 6β2 | 6β3 | 10β2 | 6β2 |
New York | 4β8 | 4β6 | 4β5 | 4β5 | 2β6 | β | 4β8 | 4β4 | 3β9 |
Philadelphia | 4β8 | 10β0 | 5β3 | 7β1 | 3β6 | 8β4 | β | 6β3 | 6β6 |
St. Louis | 2β7 | 6β4 | 3β9 | 5β7 | 2β10 | 4β4 | 3β6 | β | 4β4 |
Syracuse | 2β10 | 9β1 | 4β5 | 5β4 | 2β6 | 9β3 | 6β6 | 4β4 | β |
1961β62 Game log | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | |||||
1 | October 21 | Detroit | 102β137 | Tom Heinsohn (26) | 1β0 | |||||
2 | October 28 | New York | 102β132 | Tom Heinsohn (19) | 2β0 | |||||
3 | November 3 | @ Philadelphia | 112β98 | Bob Cousy (27) | 3β0 | |||||
4 | November 4 | Syracuse | 107β127 | Bob Cousy (23) | 4β0 | |||||
5 | November 9 | N Detroit | 116β110 | Bill Russell (28) | 4β1 | |||||
6 | November 11 | Philadelphia | 125β128 | Bill Russell (28) | 5β1 | |||||
7 | November 12 | @ Chicago | 112β96 | Bill Russell (28) | 6β1 | |||||
8 | November 14 | @ St. Louis | 119β117 | Bill Russell (35) | 7β1 | |||||
9 | November 16 | @ Cincinnati | 127β121 | Tom Heinsohn (29) | 8β1 | |||||
10 | November 17 | @ New York | 104β100 | Bill Russell (25) | 9β1 | |||||
11 | November 18 | Los Angeles | 103β101 | Tom Heinsohn (26) | 9β2 | |||||
12 | November 22 | St. Louis | 121β141 | Heinsohn, Sanders (22) | 10β2 | |||||
13 | November 23 | @ Philadelphia | 119β106 | Tom Heinsohn (31) | 11β2 | |||||
14 | November 25 | New York | 96β116 | Frank Ramsey (26) | 12β2 | |||||
15 | November 26 | @ Detroit | 107β101 | Sam Jones (28) | 13β2 | |||||
16 | November 28 | N Detroit | 108β116 | Bob Cousy (27) | 14β2 | |||||
17 | November 30 | N Cincinnati | 133β130 | Tom Heinsohn (31) | 14β3 | |||||
18 | December 1 | Chicago | 121β140 | Bill Russell (26) | 15β3 | |||||
19 | December 3 | @ Cincinnati | 119β96 | Bill Russell (23) | 16β3 | |||||
20 | December 6 | N Cincinnati | 102β103 | Bill Russell (28) | 17β3 | |||||
21 | December 8 | Syracuse | 111β123 | Tom Heinsohn (30) | 18β3 | |||||
22 | December 9 | @ Syracuse | 106β102 | Sam Jones (30) | 19β3 | |||||
23 | December 13 | Philadelphia | 113β123 | Sam Jones (35) | 20β3 | |||||
24 | December 14 | N Chicago | 108β123 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 21β3 | |||||
25 | December 16 | St. Louis | 113β130 | Bill Russell (25) | 22β3 | |||||
26 | December 17 | @ New York | 117β109 | Sam Jones (30) | 23β3 | |||||
27 | December 19 | @ Los Angeles | 101β104 | Sam Jones (26) | 23β4 | |||||
28 | December 21 | N New York | 103β122 | Satch Sanders (23) | 24β4 | |||||
29 | December 23 | New York | 111β122 | Bill Russell (31) | 25β4 | |||||
30 | December 25 | @ Syracuse | 127β122 | Tom Heinsohn (45) | 26β4 | |||||
31 | December 26 | Los Angeles | 117β129 | Bob Cousy (26) | 27β4 | |||||
32 | December 28 | @ St. Louis | 117β109 | Sam Jones (26) | 28β4 | |||||
33 | December 29 | @ New York | 100β110 | Bob Cousy (20) | 28β5 | |||||
34 | December 30 | @ Philadelphia | 116β111 | Sam Jones (36) | 29β5 | |||||
35 | January 2 | N St. Louis | 99β136 | Tom Heinsohn (25) | 30β5 | |||||
36 | January 3 | @ Detroit | 103β112 | Tom Heinsohn (23) | 30β6 | |||||
37 | January 5 | @ Cincinnati | 124β103 | Tom Heinsohn (31) | 31β6 | |||||
38 | January 7 | @ Los Angeles | 118β95 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 32β6 | |||||
39 | January 10 | @ Chicago | 90β103 | Bob Cousy (21) | 32β7 | |||||
40 | January 12 | Cincinnati | 125β141 | Tom Heinsohn (32) | 33β7 | |||||
41 | January 13 | N Syracuse | 127β117 | Tom Heinsohn (23) | 33β8 | |||||
42 | January 14 | Philadelphia | 136β145 | Sam Jones (30) | 34β8 | |||||
43 | January 17 | @ Detroit | 126β116 | Sam Jones (33) | 35β8 | |||||
44 | January 19 | Syracuse | 103β128 | Bill Russell (24) | 36β8 | |||||
45 | January 20 | @ Syracuse | 107β101 | Bill Russell (24) | 37β8 | |||||
46 | January 21 | Detroit | 124β120 | Tom Heinsohn (43) | 37β9 | |||||
47 | January 23 | N Los Angeles | 103β118 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 38β9 | |||||
48 | January 24 | St. Louis | 135β123 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 38β10 | |||||
49 | January 26 | @ New York | 121β129 | Frank Ramsey (38) | 38β11 | |||||
50 | January 27 | @ Philadelphia | 106β131 | Satch Sanders (24) | 38β12 | |||||
51 | January 28 | Philadelphia | 133β129 (OT) | Tom Heinsohn (31) | 38β13 | |||||
52 | January 31 | @ Chicago | 122β115 | Bob Cousy (27) | 39β13 | |||||
53 | February 1 | N Los Angeles | 115β130 | Sam Jones (22) | 40β13 | |||||
54 | February 2 | Cincinnati | 124β143 | Tom Heinsohn (24) | 41β13 | |||||
55 | February 4 | New York | 114β130 | Frank Ramsey (24) | 42β13 | |||||
56 | February 5 | @ Chicago | 127β111 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 43β13 | |||||
57 | February 6 | @ St. Louis | 129β114 | Heinsohn, S. Jones (24) | 44β13 | |||||
58 | February 8 | @ Syracuse | 110β122 | Sam Jones (26) | 44β14 | |||||
59 | February 9 | Philadelphia | 126β124 | Heinsohn, S. Jones (23) | 44β15 | |||||
60 | February 10 | @ Philadelphia | 106β107 | Sam Jones (21) | 44β16 | |||||
61 | February 11 | Chicago | 115β148 | Tom Heinsohn (42) | 45β16 | |||||
62 | February 13 | N Chicago | 117β138 | Tom Heinsohn (30) | 46β16 | |||||
63 | February 14 | @ New York | 112β125 | Bob Cousy (26) | 46β17 | |||||
64 | February 16 | N New York | 104β127 | Bob Cousy (28) | 47β17 | |||||
65 | February 18 | @ Los Angeles | 99β125 | Frank Ramsey (19) | 47β18 | |||||
66 | February 20 | @ Los Angeles | 115β96 | Satch Sanders (26) | 48β18 | |||||
67 | February 22 | N Syracuse | 106β134 | Bob Cousy (32) | 49β18 | |||||
68 | February 23 | Syracuse | 107β121 | Tom Heinsohn (31) | 50β18 | |||||
69 | February 24 | @ Philadelphia | 109β86 | Bob Cousy (22) | 51β18 | |||||
70 | February 25 | @ Syracuse | 110β106 | Bill Russell (23) | 52β18 | |||||
71 | February 27 | N Chicago | 100β115 | Heinsohn, Russell (20) | 53β18 | |||||
72 | February 28 | @ Cincinnati | 129β123 (OT) | Frank Ramsey (30) | 54β18 | |||||
73 | March 2 | @ St. Louis | 120β138 | Tom Heinsohn (22) | 54β19 | |||||
74 | March 4 | St. Louis | 120β123 | Tom Heinsohn (28) | 55β19 | |||||
75 | March 6 | @ New York | 106β113 | Tom Heinsohn (30) | 55β20 | |||||
76 | March 7 | Philadelphia | 102β153 | Sam Jones (23) | 56β20 | |||||
77 | March 8 | @ Chicago | 108β102 | Bill Russell (27) | 57β20 | |||||
78 | March 9 | @ Detroit | 130β111 | Tom Heinsohn (32) | 58β20 | |||||
79 | March 11 | Los Angeles | 105β119 | Sam Jones (20) | 59β20 | |||||
80 | March 13 | Syracuse | 110β142 | Satch Sanders (30) | 60β20 |
1962 playoff game log | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Division Finals: 4β3 (home: 4β0; road: 0β3)
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NBA Finals: 4β3 (home: 2β2; road: 2β1)
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1962 schedule |