The 1966-67 Boston Celtics season was a pivotal year in the franchise’s history. Under the guidance of head coach Red Auerbach, the Celtics were coming off a remarkable streak of eight consecutive NBA championships. However, this season marked a transitional phase for the team. Bill Russell, the Celtics’ legendary center, took on the role of player-coach following Auerbach’s decision to step down from coaching duties, though he remained the team’s general manager.
During the regular season, the Celtics maintained a strong performance, finishing with a 60-21 record, securing the second seed in the Eastern Division. The team was led by Russell’s defensive prowess and the scoring capabilities of John Havlicek and Sam Jones. Havlicek averaged 21.4 points per game, while Jones contributed with 22.1 points per game, making them crucial offensive players for the Celtics.
In the postseason, Boston faced the New York Knicks in the Eastern Division Semifinals, sweeping them in three games. However, the Celtics’ dominance was halted in the Eastern Division Finals by the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers, led by Wilt Chamberlain, proved too strong for Boston, defeating them 4-1 in the series. This loss ended the Celtics’ historic championship streak and signaled a shift in the NBA’s competitive landscape.
The 1966-67 season was significant as it marked the end of an era for the Celtics. Despite the playoff loss, the team’s resilience and adaptability laid the groundwork for future success, with Russell continuing to shape the Celtics as both a leader on and off the court.
- Regular Season Record: 60-21
- Playoff Result: Division Semifinals: 3-1, Division Finals: 1-4
Boston Celtics Roster and Stats for 1966-67 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Sam Jones | 72 | 22.2 | 4.0 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 26.7 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Havlicek | 81 | 21.4 | 5.6 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 27.4 | 8.1 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bailey Howell | 81 | 20.0 | 6.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 15.3 | 7.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Larry Siegfried | 73 | 14.1 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 12.3 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bill Russell | 81 | 13.3 | 21.0 | 5.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 10.6 | 22.0 | 5.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tom Sanders | 81 | 10.2 | 4.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Don Nelson | 79 | 7.5 | 3.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 7.1 | 4.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| K.C. Jones | 78 | 6.2 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 6.6 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Wayne Embry | 72 | 5.2 | 3.7 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 5.2 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Barnett | 48 | 4.1 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Toby Kimball | 38 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ron Watts | 27 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Boston Celtics in the 1967 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. New York Knicks
In the 1967 NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Division Finals, marking a pivotal clash between two powerhouses. Despite their dominance in the 1960s, the Celtics were defeated by the 76ers in five games, with Philadelphia's Wilt Chamberlain and his squad proving too formidable. This series ended Boston's eight-year streak of NBA Finals appearances, signaling a temporary shift in the balance of power in the league.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 21, 1967 | vs. New York Knicks | W 140-110 | |
| Mar 25, 1967 | @ New York Knicks | W 115-108 | |
| Mar 26, 1967 | vs. New York Knicks | L 123-112 | |
| Mar 28, 1967 | @ New York Knicks | W 118-109 |
1967 Conference Championship vs. Philadelphia 76ers
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 1967 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 127-113 | |
| Apr 02, 1967 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 107-102 | |
| Apr 05, 1967 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 115-104 | |
| Apr 09, 1967 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 121-117 | |
| Apr 11, 1967 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 140-116 |
Boston Celtics 1966-67 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1966-67 season for the Boston Celtics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 1966 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 121-113 | |
| Oct 21, 1966 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 111-91 | |
| Oct 22, 1966 | @ New York Knicks | W 126-97 | |
| Oct 27, 1966 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 123-100 | |
| Oct 29, 1966 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 138-96 | |
| Nov 02, 1966 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 133-108 | |
| Nov 03, 1966 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 137-108 | |
| Nov 05, 1966 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 105-87 | |
| Nov 08, 1966 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 112-101 | |
| Nov 10, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 113-112 | |
| Nov 11, 1966 | vs. New York Knicks | W 111-106 | |
| Nov 12, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 115-92 | |
| Nov 18, 1966 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 143-119 | |
| Nov 19, 1966 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 147-125 | |
| Nov 23, 1966 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 123-103 | |
| Nov 24, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 101-78 | |
| Nov 25, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 107-105 | |
| Nov 26, 1966 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 118-87 | |
| Nov 29, 1966 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 104-100 | |
| Dec 02, 1966 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 119-116 | |
| Dec 03, 1966 | @ New York Knicks | W 120-109 | |
| Dec 06, 1966 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 130-111 | |
| Dec 07, 1966 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 119-91 | |
| Dec 09, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 117-99 | |
| Dec 10, 1966 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 125-110 | |
| Dec 11, 1966 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 117-103 | |
| Dec 15, 1966 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 116-114 | |
| Dec 17, 1966 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 118-110 | |
| Dec 18, 1966 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 127-125 | |
| Dec 20, 1966 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 116-113 | |
| Dec 23, 1966 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 114-103 | |
| Dec 26, 1966 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 121-106 | |
| Dec 28, 1966 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-108 | |
| Dec 29, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 112-110 | |
| Dec 30, 1966 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 110-106 | |
| Jan 01, 1967 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 111-110 | |
| Jan 03, 1967 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 126-121 | |
| Jan 06, 1967 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 102-99 | |
| Jan 07, 1967 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 110-108 | |
| Jan 13, 1967 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 122-102 | |
| Jan 14, 1967 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 115-106 | |
| Jan 15, 1967 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 110-95 | |
| Jan 17, 1967 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 109-101 | |
| Jan 18, 1967 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 119-106 | |
| Jan 20, 1967 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 129-117 | |
| Jan 22, 1967 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 121-120 | |
| Jan 24, 1967 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 118-106 | |
| Jan 25, 1967 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 112-105 | |
| Jan 27, 1967 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 112-106 | |
| Jan 28, 1967 | @ New York Knicks | W 114-112 | |
| Jan 29, 1967 | vs. New York Knicks | W 141-106 | |
| Jan 30, 1967 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 121-108 | |
| Feb 01, 1967 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 111-107 | |
| Feb 03, 1967 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 131-113 | |
| Feb 05, 1967 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 137-121 | |
| Feb 07, 1967 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 138-123 | |
| Feb 09, 1967 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 128-124 | |
| Feb 10, 1967 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 137-136 | |
| Feb 12, 1967 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 113-112 | |
| Feb 14, 1967 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 128-122 | |
| Feb 15, 1967 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 124-114 | |
| Feb 17, 1967 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 120-119 | |
| Feb 18, 1967 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 130-124 | |
| Feb 21, 1967 | @ New York Knicks | W 143-114 | |
| Feb 22, 1967 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 135-120 | |
| Feb 23, 1967 | vs. New York Knicks | W 122-117 | |
| Feb 26, 1967 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 130-119 | |
| Mar 01, 1967 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 137-125 | |
| Mar 02, 1967 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 114-108 | |
| Mar 03, 1967 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 111-104 | |
| Mar 05, 1967 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 130-105 | |
| Mar 06, 1967 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 127-103 | |
| Mar 07, 1967 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 117-114 | |
| Mar 08, 1967 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 115-113 | |
| Mar 11, 1967 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 116-114 | |
| Mar 12, 1967 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 123-118 | |
| Mar 13, 1967 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 123-122 | |
| Mar 15, 1967 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 112-108 | |
| Mar 16, 1967 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 132-109 | |
| Mar 18, 1967 | @ New York Knicks | W 140-123 | |
| Mar 19, 1967 | vs. New York Knicks | W 124-113 |