The 1984-85 Boston Celtics season was a significant chapter in the franchise’s storied history. Under the leadership of head coach K.C. Jones, the team finished the regular season with an impressive 63-19 record, securing the top seed in the Eastern Conference. This success was largely driven by the formidable trio of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, who provided a potent combination of scoring, defense, and rebounding.
Larry Bird, the team’s star player, had an outstanding season, earning his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Bird averaged 28.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game, showcasing his all-around abilities on the court. Kevin McHale also made significant contributions, earning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
In the playoffs, the Celtics demonstrated their dominance by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons in the early rounds. They then faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals, securing a spot in the NBA Finals by winning the series in five games. However, the Celtics’ quest for back-to-back championships was thwarted by their arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers, led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, won the series in six games, marking the first time in NBA history that the Lakers defeated the Celtics in the Finals.
- Regular Season Record: 63-19
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 3-1, Eastern Conference Semifinals: 4-2, Eastern Conference Finals: 4-1, NBA Finals: 2-4
Boston Celtics Roster and Stats for 1984-85 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Larry Bird | 80 | 28.7 | 10.5 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 42.7 | 20 | 26.0 | 9.1 | 5.8 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 28.0 |
| Kevin McHale | 79 | 19.8 | 9.0 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 21 | 22.1 | 9.9 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 0.0 |
| Robert Parish | 79 | 17.6 | 10.6 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 21 | 17.1 | 10.4 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| Dennis Johnson | 80 | 15.7 | 4.0 | 6.8 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 26.9 | 21 | 17.3 | 4.0 | 7.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Danny Ainge | 75 | 12.9 | 3.6 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 26.8 | 21 | 11.0 | 2.8 | 5.8 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 43.7 |
| Cedric Maxwell | 57 | 11.1 | 4.2 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 20 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Scott Wedman | 78 | 6.4 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 50.0 | 21 | 8.7 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 45.5 |
| Ray Williams | 23 | 6.4 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 26.1 | 19 | 6.3 | 1.9 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 13.3 |
| M.L. Carr | 47 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 39.1 | 7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 50.0 |
| Carlos Clark | 62 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Quinn Buckner | 75 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rick Carlisle | 38 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Greg Kite | 55 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 9 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Boston Celtics in the 1985 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
In the first round of the 1985 NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics faced the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Celtics, led by the formidable trio of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, showcased their dominance by winning the series 3-1. Their strong performance set the tone for another deep playoff run, highlighting their status as a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 18, 1985 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 126-123 | |
| Apr 20, 1985 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 108-106 | |
| Apr 23, 1985 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 105-98 | |
| Apr 25, 1985 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 117-115 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Detroit Pistons
In the 1985 NBA Playoffs' second round, the Boston Celtics faced off against the Detroit Pistons in a tightly contested six-game series. Led by Larry Bird's exceptional performance, the Celtics showcased their resilience and depth, ultimately securing the series 4-2. This victory highlighted Boston's dominance and set the stage for their Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 1985 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 133-99 | |
| Apr 30, 1985 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 121-114 | |
| May 02, 1985 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 125-117 | |
| May 05, 1985 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 102-99 | |
| May 08, 1985 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 130-123 | |
| May 10, 1985 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 123-113 |
1985 Conference Championship vs. Philadelphia 76ers
In the 1985 NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics faced off against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals, triumphing in a tightly contested five-game series. Led by the formidable trio of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, the Celtics showcased their depth and resilience, ultimately advancing to the NBA Finals. This victory highlighted Boston's tactical prowess and set the stage for a classic showdown against their storied rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 1985 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 108-93 | |
| May 14, 1985 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 106-98 | |
| May 18, 1985 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 105-94 | |
| May 19, 1985 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 115-104 | |
| May 22, 1985 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 102-100 |
1985 NBA Finals vs. Los Angeles Lakers
In the 1985 NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics faced off against their arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, in a highly anticipated rematch of the previous year's championship. Despite the Celtics' home-court advantage and the stellar performances of Larry Bird, they ultimately fell to the Lakers in six games. This series marked a turning point as the Lakers finally triumphed over Boston in the Finals, securing their first victory against the Celtics in championship history.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 1985 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 148-114 | |
| May 30, 1985 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 109-102 | |
| Jun 02, 1985 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 136-111 | |
| Jun 05, 1985 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 107-105 | |
| Jun 07, 1985 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 120-111 | |
| Jun 09, 1985 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 111-100 |
Boston Celtics 1984-85 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1984-85 season for the Boston Celtics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 26, 1984 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 130-123 | |
| Oct 31, 1984 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 116-105 | |
| Nov 02, 1984 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 127-116 | |
| Nov 07, 1984 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 135-108 | |
| Nov 09, 1984 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 130-119 | |
| Nov 10, 1984 | @ Washington Bullets | L 112-95 | |
| Nov 12, 1984 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 132-115 | |
| Nov 14, 1984 | vs. New York Knicks | W 115-99 | |
| Nov 15, 1984 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 125-105 | |
| Nov 21, 1984 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 135-91 | |
| Nov 23, 1984 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 118-110 | |
| Nov 24, 1984 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 135-124 | |
| Nov 27, 1984 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 114-99 | |
| Nov 28, 1984 | @ Houston Rockets | W 110-100 | |
| Dec 01, 1984 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 110-104 | |
| Dec 02, 1984 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 122-99 | |
| Dec 04, 1984 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 104-99 | |
| Dec 05, 1984 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 123-107 | |
| Dec 08, 1984 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 107-98 | |
| Dec 09, 1984 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 128-127 | |
| Dec 11, 1984 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 130-121 | |
| Dec 12, 1984 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 110-107 | |
| Dec 14, 1984 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 117-106 | |
| Dec 15, 1984 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 101-94 | |
| Dec 18, 1984 | @ New York Knicks | W 126-108 | |
| Dec 19, 1984 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 107-92 | |
| Dec 21, 1984 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 117-107 | |
| Dec 22, 1984 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 110-85 | |
| Dec 26, 1984 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 119-114 | |
| Dec 27, 1984 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 118-103 | |
| Dec 29, 1984 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 120-112 | |
| Dec 30, 1984 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 114-98 | |
| Jan 02, 1985 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 110-95 | |
| Jan 04, 1985 | vs. New York Knicks | W 105-94 | |
| Jan 07, 1985 | @ New York Knicks | W 108-97 | |
| Jan 09, 1985 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 111-108 | |
| Jan 11, 1985 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 103-101 | |
| Jan 12, 1985 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 119-111 | |
| Jan 16, 1985 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 104-102 | |
| Jan 18, 1985 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 91-86 | |
| Jan 20, 1985 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 113-97 | |
| Jan 23, 1985 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 107-97 | |
| Jan 25, 1985 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 125-94 | |
| Jan 27, 1985 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 128-127 | |
| Jan 29, 1985 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 131-130 | |
| Jan 30, 1985 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 122-104 | |
| Feb 01, 1985 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 142-123 | |
| Feb 02, 1985 | @ Washington Bullets | W 97-91 | |
| Feb 05, 1985 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 110-106 | |
| Feb 06, 1985 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 113-108 | |
| Feb 12, 1985 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 111-103 | |
| Feb 14, 1985 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 110-94 | |
| Feb 15, 1985 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 107-100 | |
| Feb 17, 1985 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 117-111 | |
| Feb 18, 1985 | @ Utah Jazz | W 110-94 | |
| Feb 20, 1985 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 132-129 | |
| Feb 22, 1985 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 115-105 | |
| Feb 24, 1985 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 113-100 | |
| Feb 27, 1985 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 111-102 | |
| Mar 01, 1985 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 114-105 | |
| Mar 03, 1985 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 138-129 | |
| Mar 05, 1985 | @ New York Knicks | W 110-102 | |
| Mar 06, 1985 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 107-104 | |
| Mar 08, 1985 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 133-122 | |
| Mar 12, 1985 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 126-115 | |
| Mar 13, 1985 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 123-106 | |
| Mar 15, 1985 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 119-96 | |
| Mar 17, 1985 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 134-120 | |
| Mar 20, 1985 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 107-105 | |
| Mar 22, 1985 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 129-117 | |
| Mar 23, 1985 | @ Washington Bullets | W 104-98 | |
| Mar 27, 1985 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 105-95 | |
| Mar 29, 1985 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 112-108 | |
| Mar 31, 1985 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 113-105 | |
| Apr 02, 1985 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 109-103 | |
| Apr 03, 1985 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 119-103 | |
| Apr 05, 1985 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 115-104 | |
| Apr 07, 1985 | vs. New York Knicks | W 114-102 | |
| Apr 09, 1985 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-104 | |
| Apr 11, 1985 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 121-115 | |
| Apr 12, 1985 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 115-113 | |
| Apr 14, 1985 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 129-118 |