The 1963-64 Boston Celtics season was a hallmark year in the franchise’s illustrious history. Under the leadership of head coach Red Auerbach, the Celtics continued their dominance in the NBA, securing their sixth consecutive championship. The season was notable for the retirement of Bob Cousy, the legendary point guard, marking a transitional phase for the team while still maintaining their winning culture.
Bill Russell, the cornerstone of the Celtics’ defense, was pivotal in securing the team’s success. As the defensive anchor, Russell’s rebounding and shot-blocking abilities were unmatched, earning him the NBA MVP award for the season. The Celtics finished the regular season with a remarkable 59-21 record, leading the Eastern Division.
In the playoffs, the Celtics faced the Cincinnati Royals in the Eastern Division Finals. They triumphed in a decisive five-game series, showcasing their depth and resilience. The NBA Finals pitted them against the San Francisco Warriors, where the Celtics emerged victorious in a 4-1 series win. This victory underscored their supremacy in the league, as they continued to set the standard for excellence.
The 1963-64 season further cemented the Boston Celtics’ legacy as a powerhouse in professional basketball, with their blend of experienced veterans and strategic coaching ensuring their continued success. The team’s performance during this period set a benchmark for future generations and remains a significant chapter in NBA history.
- Regular Season Record: 59-21
- Playoff Result: Division Finals: 4-1, NBA Finals: 4-1
Boston Celtics Roster and Stats for 1963-64 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| John Havlicek | 80 | 19.9 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 15.7 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Sam Jones | 76 | 19.4 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 23.2 | 4.7 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tom Heinsohn | 76 | 16.5 | 4.4 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 17.4 | 8.0 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bill Russell | 78 | 15.0 | 24.4 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 13.1 | 27.2 | 4.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tom Sanders | 80 | 11.4 | 6.3 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 9.1 | 6.8 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Willie Naulls | 78 | 9.8 | 3.8 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 9.1 | 4.6 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Frank Ramsey | 75 | 8.6 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 6.2 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| K.C. Jones | 80 | 8.2 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 6.3 | 3.7 | 6.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Clyde Lovellette | 45 | 6.7 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 4.0 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Larry Siegfried | 31 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Loscutoff | 52 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Johnny McCarthy | 28 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Boston Celtics in the 1964 NBA Playoffs
1964 Conference Championship vs. Cincinnati Royals
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 1964 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 103-87 | |
| Apr 02, 1964 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 101-90 | |
| Apr 05, 1964 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 102-92 | |
| Apr 07, 1964 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 102-93 | |
| Apr 09, 1964 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 109-95 |
1964 NBA Finals vs. San Francisco Warriors
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 18, 1964 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 108-96 | |
| Apr 20, 1964 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 124-101 | |
| Apr 22, 1964 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 115-91 | |
| Apr 24, 1964 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 98-95 | |
| Apr 26, 1964 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 105-99 |
Boston Celtics 1963-64 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1963-64 season for the Boston Celtics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 1963 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 109-95 | |
| Oct 17, 1963 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 93-92 | |
| Oct 26, 1963 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 123-108 | |
| Oct 30, 1963 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 108-102 | |
| Nov 01, 1963 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 119-102 | |
| Nov 02, 1963 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 117-109 | |
| Nov 06, 1963 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 139-121 | |
| Nov 08, 1963 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 116-115 | |
| Nov 09, 1963 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 113-91 | |
| Nov 11, 1963 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 116-110 | |
| Nov 13, 1963 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 114-110 | |
| Nov 15, 1963 | vs. New York Knicks | W 133-116 | |
| Nov 19, 1963 | @ New York Knicks | W 126-98 | |
| Nov 27, 1963 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 114-78 | |
| Nov 29, 1963 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 112-78 | |
| Nov 30, 1963 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 109-96 | |
| Dec 05, 1963 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 118-108 | |
| Dec 06, 1963 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 112-107 | |
| Dec 07, 1963 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 114-97 | |
| Dec 10, 1963 | @ New York Knicks | W 132-113 | |
| Dec 11, 1963 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 104-95 | |
| Dec 13, 1963 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 111-84 | |
| Dec 14, 1963 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | L 108-105 | |
| Dec 17, 1963 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 131-114 | |
| Dec 18, 1963 | vs. New York Knicks | W 133-111 | |
| Dec 19, 1963 | vs. New York Knicks | W 143-140 | |
| Dec 21, 1963 | @ New York Knicks | L 127-117 | |
| Dec 26, 1963 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 126-110 | |
| Dec 27, 1963 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 91-87 | |
| Dec 28, 1963 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 107-100 | |
| Jan 03, 1964 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 111-101 | |
| Jan 04, 1964 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 125-118 | |
| Jan 05, 1964 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 97-95 | |
| Jan 07, 1964 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 92-89 | |
| Jan 10, 1964 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 109-92 | |
| Jan 11, 1964 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 115-108 | |
| Jan 12, 1964 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 123-112 | |
| Jan 15, 1964 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 113-108 | |
| Jan 17, 1964 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 99-79 | |
| Jan 18, 1964 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 121-115 | |
| Jan 19, 1964 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 108-105 | |
| Jan 21, 1964 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 116-114 | |
| Jan 22, 1964 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 109-92 | |
| Jan 23, 1964 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 110-104 | |
| Jan 24, 1964 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 119-99 | |
| Jan 26, 1964 | vs. New York Knicks | W 115-102 | |
| Jan 28, 1964 | @ New York Knicks | L 133-127 | |
| Jan 29, 1964 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 100-92 | |
| Jan 31, 1964 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 114-97 | |
| Feb 01, 1964 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 119-111 | |
| Feb 02, 1964 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | L 119-117 | |
| Feb 04, 1964 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 113-101 | |
| Feb 06, 1964 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 94-92 | |
| Feb 07, 1964 | vs. New York Knicks | W 133-112 | |
| Feb 08, 1964 | @ New York Knicks | W 135-114 | |
| Feb 09, 1964 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 120-109 | |
| Feb 11, 1964 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 113-109 | |
| Feb 12, 1964 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 104-97 | |
| Feb 13, 1964 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 106-95 | |
| Feb 15, 1964 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 96-87 | |
| Feb 16, 1964 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 92-90 | |
| Feb 18, 1964 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 103-93 | |
| Feb 20, 1964 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 129-113 | |
| Feb 21, 1964 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 144-119 | |
| Feb 22, 1964 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 95-88 | |
| Feb 24, 1964 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 115-113 | |
| Feb 25, 1964 | @ New York Knicks | W 114-102 | |
| Feb 26, 1964 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 100-87 | |
| Feb 28, 1964 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 107-92 | |
| Feb 29, 1964 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 115-108 | |
| Mar 01, 1964 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 108-93 | |
| Mar 03, 1964 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 108-94 | |
| Mar 04, 1964 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 112-108 | |
| Mar 05, 1964 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 111-101 | |
| Mar 07, 1964 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 112-94 | |
| Mar 08, 1964 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 128-118 | |
| Mar 12, 1964 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 140-120 | |
| Mar 15, 1964 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 129-105 | |
| Mar 17, 1964 | vs. New York Knicks | W 127-121 | |
| Mar 18, 1964 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 108-95 |