The 1959-60 Boston Celtics season was a pivotal year for the franchise, showcasing their dominance in the NBA. Under the leadership of head coach Red Auerbach, the Celtics finished the regular season with an impressive 59-16 record, securing the best record in the league. This achievement marked their continued excellence and established them as a formidable force in professional basketball.
The team was led on the court by the legendary Bill Russell, whose defensive prowess and rebounding ability were unmatched. Russell’s contribution was complemented by the exceptional play of guards Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, who provided the offensive firepower necessary to maintain their competitive edge. The Celtics’ roster also featured key players like Tom Heinsohn and Frank Ramsey, who added depth and versatility.
In the playoffs, the Celtics’ dominance continued as they defeated the Philadelphia Warriors in the Eastern Division Finals, winning the series 4-2. This victory set the stage for a rematch with the St. Louis Hawks in the NBA Finals. The Celtics emerged victorious in the Finals, clinching the championship with a 4-3 series win. This triumph marked their third NBA title and solidified their status as the league’s preeminent team.
The 1959-60 season was a testament to the Celtics’ strategic brilliance and team cohesion, laying the foundation for their continued success throughout the decade. Their ability to blend stellar defense with an efficient offense made them one of the most balanced teams in NBA history.
- Regular Season Record: 59-16
- Playoff Result: Division Finals: 4-2, NBA Finals: 4-3
Boston Celtics Roster and Stats for 1959-60 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Tom Heinsohn | 75 | 21.7 | 8.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 21.8 | 9.7 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Cousy | 75 | 19.4 | 3.9 | 7.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 15.3 | 3.7 | 8.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bill Sharman | 71 | 19.3 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 16.8 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bill Russell | 74 | 18.2 | 23.8 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 18.5 | 25.8 | 2.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Frank Ramsey | 73 | 15.3 | 5.4 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 16.7 | 7.7 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Sam Jones | 74 | 11.9 | 4.0 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 8.2 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Maurice King | 1 | 10.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Gene Conley | 71 | 6.7 | 6.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 6.5 | 8.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| K.C. Jones | 73 | 6.4 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Loscutoff | 28 | 5.5 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| John Richter | 65 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Gene Guarilia | 44 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Boston Celtics in the 1960 NBA Playoffs
1960 Conference Championship vs. Philadelphia Warriors
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 1960 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 111-105 | |
| Mar 18, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 115-110 | |
| Mar 19, 1960 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 120-90 | |
| Mar 20, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 112-104 | |
| Mar 22, 1960 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 128-107 | |
| Mar 24, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 119-117 |
1960 NBA Finals vs. St. Louis Hawks
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 1960 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 140-122 | |
| Mar 29, 1960 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 113-103 | |
| Apr 02, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 102-86 | |
| Apr 03, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 106-96 | |
| Apr 05, 1960 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 127-102 | |
| Apr 07, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 105-102 | |
| Apr 09, 1960 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 122-103 |
Boston Celtics 1959-60 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1959-60 season for the Boston Celtics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 1959 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 129-125 | |
| Oct 24, 1959 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 121-109 | |
| Oct 31, 1959 | @ New York Knicks | W 123-109 | |
| Nov 01, 1959 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 124-109 | |
| Nov 03, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 103-98 | |
| Nov 07, 1959 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 115-106 | |
| Nov 08, 1959 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 136-115 | |
| Nov 10, 1959 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 128-109 | |
| Nov 11, 1959 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 151-118 | |
| Nov 14, 1959 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 113-111 | |
| Nov 15, 1959 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 134-128 | |
| Nov 17, 1959 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 132-129 | |
| Nov 18, 1959 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 138-103 | |
| Nov 20, 1959 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 114-101 | |
| Nov 21, 1959 | @ New York Knicks | W 128-127 | |
| Nov 25, 1959 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 123-113 | |
| Nov 26, 1959 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 143-130 | |
| Nov 28, 1959 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 136-110 | |
| Nov 29, 1959 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 109-93 | |
| Dec 03, 1959 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 114-111 | |
| Dec 04, 1959 | vs. New York Knicks | W 122-107 | |
| Dec 06, 1959 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 121-104 | |
| Dec 08, 1959 | @ New York Knicks | W 121-105 | |
| Dec 09, 1959 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 137-116 | |
| Dec 11, 1959 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 122-99 | |
| Dec 12, 1959 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 126-117 | |
| Dec 17, 1959 | vs. New York Knicks | W 137-126 | |
| Dec 19, 1959 | vs. New York Knicks | W 119-116 | |
| Dec 20, 1959 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 132-127 | |
| Dec 22, 1959 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 136-104 | |
| Dec 25, 1959 | @ New York Knicks | W 123-119 | |
| Dec 27, 1959 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 122-111 | |
| Dec 28, 1959 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 107-104 | |
| Dec 30, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 96-82 | |
| Jan 01, 1960 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | L 128-115 | |
| Jan 02, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 118-117 | |
| Jan 03, 1960 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 114-113 | |
| Jan 04, 1960 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 127-120 | |
| Jan 05, 1960 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 145-143 | |
| Jan 09, 1960 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 126-103 | |
| Jan 10, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 121-111 | |
| Jan 12, 1960 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 127-120 | |
| Jan 13, 1960 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 134-112 | |
| Jan 15, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 124-112 | |
| Jan 17, 1960 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 129-123 | |
| Jan 20, 1960 | vs. New York Knicks | W 144-126 | |
| Jan 23, 1960 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 130-121 | |
| Jan 24, 1960 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 131-110 | |
| Jan 27, 1960 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 127-114 | |
| Jan 29, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 124-116 | |
| Jan 30, 1960 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 129-107 | |
| Jan 31, 1960 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 146-128 | |
| Feb 02, 1960 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 114-113 | |
| Feb 03, 1960 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 128-108 | |
| Feb 05, 1960 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 124-100 | |
| Feb 06, 1960 | @ New York Knicks | W 143-117 | |
| Feb 07, 1960 | vs. New York Knicks | L 142-135 | |
| Feb 09, 1960 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 129-90 | |
| Feb 10, 1960 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 153-121 | |
| Feb 13, 1960 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 122-120 | |
| Feb 14, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 125-115 | |
| Feb 16, 1960 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 130-122 | |
| Feb 18, 1960 | vs. New York Knicks | W 109-104 | |
| Feb 19, 1960 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 136-116 | |
| Feb 20, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 121-105 | |
| Feb 21, 1960 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 115-108 | |
| Feb 23, 1960 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 126-108 | |
| Feb 24, 1960 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 131-110 | |
| Feb 25, 1960 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 121-107 | |
| Feb 26, 1960 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 128-111 | |
| Feb 28, 1960 | @ New York Knicks | W 129-125 | |
| Mar 02, 1960 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 133-119 | |
| Mar 03, 1960 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 149-108 | |
| Mar 06, 1960 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 126-117 | |
| Mar 09, 1960 | vs. New York Knicks | W 148-128 |