The 1954-55 Boston Celtics season marked a period of transition and development for the franchise. Under the guidance of head coach Red Auerbach, the Celtics sought to build upon their competitive play in previous seasons. The team finished the regular season with a record of 36-36, which placed them third in the Eastern Division. This was a slight regression compared to their 42-30 record the previous year.
Key players during this season included the legendary Bob Cousy, who continued to be a pivotal figure with his exceptional playmaking skills. Cousy, often referred to as “The Houdini of the Hardwood,” led the team in assists and was a critical component of the Celtics’ offensive strategies. Alongside Cousy, Ed Macauley and Bill Sharman provided scoring support, contributing significantly to the team’s overall performance.
Despite their .500 regular-season finish, the Celtics qualified for the playoffs. However, their postseason run was short-lived, as they faced the Syracuse Nationals in the Eastern Division Semifinals. The Celtics were eliminated after losing the series 2-1, marking another early exit for the team in the playoffs. This season highlighted the Celtics’ need to bolster their roster to compete at a higher level, setting the stage for future strategic acquisitions.
The 1954-55 season was a stepping stone for the Boston Celtics, as it underscored the importance of building a more robust team to achieve their championship aspirations. It set the groundwork for the significant changes and successes that would follow in the subsequent years.
- Regular Season Record: 36-36
- Playoff Result: Division Semifinals: 2-1, Division Finals: 1-3
Boston Celtics Roster and Stats for 1954-55 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Bob Cousy | 71 | 21.2 | 1.7 | 4.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 22.0 | 5.6 | 7.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bill Sharman | 68 | 18.4 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 20.7 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ed Macauley | 71 | 17.6 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 18.1 | 5.4 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Frank Ramsey | 64 | 11.2 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 10.4 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Don Barksdale | 72 | 10.4 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 7.7 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jack Nichols | 64 | 9.9 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 10.4 | 5.4 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Brannum | 71 | 6.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 9.0 | 8.6 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Togo Palazzi | 53 | 4.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 5.8 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Red Morrison | 71 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Fred Scolari | 60 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Skippy Whitaker | 3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Bob Houbregs | 2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Boston Celtics in the 1955 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. New York Knicks
In the 1955 NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics faced the Syracuse Nationals in the Eastern Division Finals. Despite a strong regular season, the Celtics were unable to advance past this round, losing the series 3-1. This defeat marked another early playoff exit for the Celtics, who were still seeking their first NBA Championship at the time.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 1955 | vs. New York Knicks | W 122-101 | |
| Mar 16, 1955 | @ New York Knicks | L 102-95 | |
| Mar 19, 1955 | @ New York Knicks | W 116-109 |
1955 Conference Championship vs. Syracuse Nationals
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 110-100 | |
| Mar 24, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 116-110 | |
| Mar 26, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 100-97 | |
| Mar 27, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 110-94 |
Boston Celtics 1954-55 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1954-55 season for the Boston Celtics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 1954 | @ Rochester Royals | L 98-95 | |
| Oct 31, 1954 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 90-86 | |
| Nov 06, 1954 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 107-84 | |
| Nov 11, 1954 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | L 95-85 | |
| Nov 16, 1954 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 99-98 | |
| Nov 20, 1954 | @ New York Knicks | W 117-98 | |
| Nov 21, 1954 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 110-104 | |
| Nov 24, 1954 | vs. New York Knicks | W 108-103 | |
| Nov 25, 1954 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 103-98 | |
| Nov 27, 1954 | @ Rochester Royals | L 107-101 | |
| Nov 28, 1954 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 115-108 | |
| Nov 30, 1954 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 118-99 | |
| Dec 01, 1954 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | W 101-90 | |
| Dec 02, 1954 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 116-98 | |
| Dec 04, 1954 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 110-102 | |
| Dec 07, 1954 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 95-93 | |
| Dec 08, 1954 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | L 101-99 | |
| Dec 09, 1954 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 120-107 | |
| Dec 11, 1954 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 94-90 | |
| Dec 12, 1954 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 100-99 | |
| Dec 14, 1954 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 115-108 | |
| Dec 15, 1954 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | W 117-106 | |
| Dec 18, 1954 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 107-103 | |
| Dec 19, 1954 | @ New York Knicks | L 93-81 | |
| Dec 25, 1954 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 108-99 | |
| Dec 26, 1954 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 87-82 | |
| Dec 29, 1954 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | L 129-118 | |
| Dec 31, 1954 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 119-113 | |
| Jan 01, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 108-102 | |
| Jan 02, 1955 | vs. New York Knicks | W 113-96 | |
| Jan 06, 1955 | @ New York Knicks | L 88-83 | |
| Jan 08, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 117-105 | |
| Jan 09, 1955 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 98-92 | |
| Jan 11, 1955 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | W 119-110 | |
| Jan 13, 1955 | vs. New York Knicks | W 116-100 | |
| Jan 14, 1955 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 100-95 | |
| Jan 16, 1955 | vs. New York Knicks | W 102-98 | |
| Jan 19, 1955 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | L 105-84 | |
| Jan 20, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 92-87 | |
| Jan 21, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 90-89 | |
| Jan 22, 1955 | @ Rochester Royals | L 121-110 | |
| Jan 23, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 94-91 | |
| Jan 26, 1955 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 99-90 | |
| Jan 27, 1955 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 98-92 | |
| Jan 28, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 101-90 | |
| Jan 30, 1955 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | L 88-79 | |
| Feb 02, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 122-107 | |
| Feb 04, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 114-88 | |
| Feb 05, 1955 | @ New York Knicks | L 115-107 | |
| Feb 06, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 113-109 | |
| Feb 08, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 115-88 | |
| Feb 09, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 104-94 | |
| Feb 11, 1955 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 105-101 | |
| Feb 13, 1955 | vs. New York Knicks | L 105-103 | |
| Feb 15, 1955 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | W 106-103 | |
| Feb 17, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 107-93 | |
| Feb 20, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 114-99 | |
| Feb 22, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 97-95 | |
| Feb 23, 1955 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | L 120-103 | |
| Feb 24, 1955 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 112-98 | |
| Feb 25, 1955 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 107-104 | |
| Feb 27, 1955 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | W 62-57 | |
| Mar 01, 1955 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | L 118-98 | |
| Mar 04, 1955 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | L 121-106 | |
| Mar 05, 1955 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 95-89 | |
| Mar 06, 1955 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 108-104 | |
| Mar 07, 1955 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 110-91 | |
| Mar 08, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 112-103 | |
| Mar 10, 1955 | @ New York Knicks | L 114-95 | |
| Mar 11, 1955 | vs. New York Knicks | L 97-95 | |
| Mar 12, 1955 | @ Rochester Royals | L 105-103 | |
| Mar 13, 1955 | vs. New York Knicks | W 112-101 |