The 1982-83 Boston Celtics season was a notable one, marked by strong performances and high expectations. Under the leadership of head coach Bill Fitch, the team aimed to build upon their previous successes. The Celtics ended the regular season with a record of 56-26, finishing first in the Atlantic Division and securing the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Key players on the roster included Larry Bird, who was in his prime and continued to be a dominant force, averaging 23.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. He was supported by Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, who contributed significantly to both ends of the court. The Celtics’ solid defense and efficient offense made them formidable opponents throughout the season.
Despite their strong regular-season performance, the Celtics faced challenges in the playoffs. They swept the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, showcasing their depth and skill. However, in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, they encountered the Milwaukee Bucks. The series ended in disappointment for the Celtics, as they were defeated 4-0 by the Bucks, marking an unexpected and early exit from the playoffs.
The 1982-83 season, while successful in the regular season, highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in postseason performance. The defeat prompted the Celtics organization to reassess and make strategic changes in the following seasons, ultimately setting the stage for future success.
- Regular Season Record: 56-26
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 2-1, Eastern Conference Semifinals: 0-4
Boston Celtics Roster and Stats for 1982-83 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Larry Bird | 79 | 23.6 | 11.0 | 5.8 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 29.3 | 6 | 20.5 | 12.5 | 6.8 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 25.0 |
| Robert Parish | 78 | 19.3 | 10.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 7 | 14.7 | 10.6 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| Kevin McHale | 82 | 14.1 | 6.7 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 7 | 11.1 | 6.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Cedric Maxwell | 79 | 11.9 | 5.3 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 7 | 12.9 | 7.3 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| Tiny Archibald | 66 | 10.5 | 1.4 | 6.2 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 21.8 | 7 | 9.6 | 1.4 | 6.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 16.7 |
| Danny Ainge | 80 | 9.9 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 17.2 | 7 | 9.4 | 2.0 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 40.0 |
| Gerald Henderson | 82 | 8.2 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 18.8 | 7 | 10.9 | 2.0 | 4.4 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Quinn Buckner | 72 | 7.9 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 7 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Scott Wedman | 40 | 5.2 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 10.0 | 6 | 4.8 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| M.L. Carr | 77 | 4.3 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 15.8 | 3 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rick Robey | 59 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 5 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Charles Bradley | 51 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Darren Tillis | 15 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
Boston Celtics in the 1983 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Atlanta Hawks
In the 1983 NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics faced an unexpected early exit in the first round, falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-game sweep. Despite their strong regular-season performance and high expectations, the Celtics struggled against the Bucks' balanced attack, highlighting the need for adjustments in their lineup and strategy. This defeat marked a pivotal moment, prompting the team to bolster their roster for future playoff success.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 1983 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 103-95 | |
| Apr 22, 1983 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 95-93 | |
| Apr 24, 1983 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 98-79 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Milwaukee Bucks
In the 1983 NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics faced the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they were surprisingly swept 4-0. Despite having a talented roster featuring Larry Bird and Robert Parish, the Celtics struggled against the Bucks' balanced attack, which exposed their defensive weaknesses. This early exit led to significant changes in the offseason, including the hiring of head coach K.C. Jones, setting the stage for future success.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 1983 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 116-95 | |
| Apr 29, 1983 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 95-91 | |
| May 01, 1983 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 107-99 | |
| May 02, 1983 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 107-93 |
Boston Celtics 1982-83 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1982-83 season for the Boston Celtics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 1982 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 104-93 | |
| Oct 30, 1982 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 112-97 | |
| Nov 03, 1982 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 111-104 | |
| Nov 05, 1982 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 104-97 | |
| Nov 06, 1982 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 119-115 | |
| Nov 07, 1982 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 102-100 | |
| Nov 10, 1982 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 105-101 | |
| Nov 12, 1982 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 118-110 | |
| Nov 14, 1982 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 100-98 | |
| Nov 17, 1982 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 112-94 | |
| Nov 19, 1982 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 119-111 | |
| Nov 20, 1982 | @ New York Knicks | W 97-83 | |
| Nov 24, 1982 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 104-95 | |
| Nov 26, 1982 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 137-103 | |
| Nov 28, 1982 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 124-109 | |
| Nov 30, 1982 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 123-116 | |
| Dec 01, 1982 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 122-97 | |
| Dec 03, 1982 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 115-112 | |
| Dec 04, 1982 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 119-112 | |
| Dec 08, 1982 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 113-93 | |
| Dec 10, 1982 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 123-97 | |
| Dec 12, 1982 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 126-112 | |
| Dec 15, 1982 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 108-104 | |
| Dec 16, 1982 | @ New York Knicks | L 113-105 | |
| Dec 18, 1982 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 107-103 | |
| Dec 19, 1982 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 131-114 | |
| Dec 21, 1982 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 122-105 | |
| Dec 22, 1982 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 140-131 | |
| Dec 28, 1982 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 129-124 | |
| Dec 30, 1982 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 145-132 | |
| Jan 01, 1983 | @ Utah Jazz | W 127-112 | |
| Jan 04, 1983 | @ Houston Rockets | W 88-87 | |
| Jan 07, 1983 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 116-113 | |
| Jan 08, 1983 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 114-110 | |
| Jan 12, 1983 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 139-117 | |
| Jan 14, 1983 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 133-108 | |
| Jan 15, 1983 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 90-86 | |
| Jan 18, 1983 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 130-126 | |
| Jan 21, 1983 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 117-106 | |
| Jan 23, 1983 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 105-91 | |
| Jan 24, 1983 | @ Washington Bullets | L 93-91 | |
| Jan 26, 1983 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 125-99 | |
| Jan 28, 1983 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 111-104 | |
| Jan 30, 1983 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 110-95 | |
| Jan 31, 1983 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 110-104 | |
| Feb 02, 1983 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 120-110 | |
| Feb 04, 1983 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 102-93 | |
| Feb 06, 1983 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 116-111 | |
| Feb 08, 1983 | @ Washington Bullets | L 104-101 | |
| Feb 09, 1983 | vs. New York Knicks | W 106-96 | |
| Feb 16, 1983 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 108-100 | |
| Feb 17, 1983 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 121-114 | |
| Feb 19, 1983 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 115-109 | |
| Feb 23, 1983 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 113-104 | |
| Feb 24, 1983 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 122-107 | |
| Feb 26, 1983 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 103-101 | |
| Mar 01, 1983 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 129-111 | |
| Mar 04, 1983 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 115-110 | |
| Mar 05, 1983 | @ New York Knicks | L 105-98 | |
| Mar 07, 1983 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 121-114 | |
| Mar 09, 1983 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 112-106 | |
| Mar 11, 1983 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 98-93 | |
| Mar 13, 1983 | vs. New York Knicks | L 122-110 | |
| Mar 16, 1983 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 105-100 | |
| Mar 18, 1983 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 116-103 | |
| Mar 20, 1983 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 90-79 | |
| Mar 22, 1983 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 116-108 | |
| Mar 23, 1983 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 114-102 | |
| Mar 25, 1983 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 124-102 | |
| Mar 26, 1983 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 118-108 | |
| Mar 29, 1983 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 130-101 | |
| Mar 30, 1983 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 142-116 | |
| Apr 01, 1983 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 97-83 | |
| Apr 02, 1983 | @ Washington Bullets | W 120-117 | |
| Apr 05, 1983 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 117-95 | |
| Apr 06, 1983 | vs. New York Knicks | W 102-98 | |
| Apr 08, 1983 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 107-99 | |
| Apr 10, 1983 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 115-113 | |
| Apr 12, 1983 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 99-93 | |
| Apr 13, 1983 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 113-101 | |
| Apr 15, 1983 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 120-117 | |
| Apr 17, 1983 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 114-101 |