The 1955-56 Boston Celtics season marked the franchise’s 10th season in the NBA. Under the leadership of head coach Red Auerbach, the Celtics continued to build on their reputation as a formidable team in the league. The season was notable for the presence of standout players such as Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, who were crucial to the team’s performance.
During the regular season, the Celtics finished with a record of 39 wins and 33 losses, securing second place in the Eastern Division. This record allowed them to qualify for the playoffs, emphasizing their consistent competitive presence in the league. Bob Cousy, known for his exceptional ball-handling and playmaking skills, continued to be a pivotal player for the Celtics, earning his place as a fan favorite and a key contributor on the court.
In the playoffs, the Celtics faced the Syracuse Nationals in the Eastern Division Semifinals. Despite their efforts and the advantage of having a solid regular season, the Celtics were unable to advance, losing the series 2-1 to the Nationals. This result highlighted the competitive nature of the league and the challenges the Celtics faced in their quest for a championship.
The 1955-56 season was a building block for the Celtics, setting the stage for future success. It was during this era that the foundations were laid for what would become one of the most successful franchises in NBA history.
- Regular Season Record: 39-33
- Playoff Result: Division Semifinals: 1-2
Boston Celtics Roster and Stats for 1955-56 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Bill Sharman | 72 | 19.9 | 1.1 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 17.3 | 2.3 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Cousy | 72 | 18.8 | 2.9 | 6.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 26.3 | 8.0 | 8.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ed Macauley | 71 | 17.4 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 10.3 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jack Nichols | 60 | 14.4 | 6.4 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 13.7 | 12.0 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Loscutoff | 71 | 8.3 | 4.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 9.7 | 8.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Arnie Risen | 68 | 8.0 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 12.3 | 14.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dick Hemric | 71 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 6.3 | 7.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ernie Barrett | 72 | 7.0 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Togo Palazzi | 63 | 6.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Red Morrison | 71 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Boston Celtics in the 1956 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Syracuse Nationals
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 17, 1956 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 110-93 | |
| Mar 19, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 101-98 | |
| Mar 21, 1956 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 102-97 |
Boston Celtics 1955-56 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1955-56 season for the Boston Celtics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 05, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 98-87 | |
| Nov 11, 1955 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 119-75 | |
| Nov 12, 1955 | @ New York Knicks | L 96-95 | |
| Nov 17, 1955 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 106-92 | |
| Nov 19, 1955 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 104-102 | |
| Nov 23, 1955 | vs. New York Knicks | L 115-111 | |
| Nov 24, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 111-103 | |
| Nov 26, 1955 | @ Rochester Royals | W 104-103 | |
| Nov 29, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 105-97 | |
| Dec 02, 1955 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 94-81 | |
| Dec 04, 1955 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 111-90 | |
| Dec 06, 1955 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 122-99 | |
| Dec 09, 1955 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 109-108 | |
| Dec 10, 1955 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 118-102 | |
| Dec 11, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 101-89 | |
| Dec 13, 1955 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 109-108 | |
| Dec 14, 1955 | vs. New York Knicks | W 102-100 | |
| Dec 17, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 110-104 | |
| Dec 18, 1955 | @ New York Knicks | W 95-92 | |
| Dec 20, 1955 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 111-104 | |
| Dec 25, 1955 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 115-112 | |
| Dec 27, 1955 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 105-102 | |
| Dec 30, 1955 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 110-103 | |
| Dec 31, 1955 | @ Rochester Royals | W 112-100 | |
| Jan 01, 1956 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 121-113 | |
| Jan 03, 1956 | vs. New York Knicks | L 107-97 | |
| Jan 04, 1956 | vs. New York Knicks | L 103-86 | |
| Jan 05, 1956 | @ New York Knicks | W 92-87 | |
| Jan 07, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 105-99 | |
| Jan 08, 1956 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 111-109 | |
| Jan 10, 1956 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 105-89 | |
| Jan 11, 1956 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | L 114-110 | |
| Jan 13, 1956 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 119-104 | |
| Jan 14, 1956 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 104-103 | |
| Jan 15, 1956 | vs. New York Knicks | L 109-104 | |
| Jan 17, 1956 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 91-85 | |
| Jan 18, 1956 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 95-90 | |
| Jan 20, 1956 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 133-112 | |
| Jan 21, 1956 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 100-96 | |
| Jan 22, 1956 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 129-115 | |
| Jan 23, 1956 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 120-104 | |
| Jan 25, 1956 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | L 101-100 | |
| Jan 27, 1956 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | L 106-97 | |
| Jan 28, 1956 | @ Rochester Royals | W 126-119 | |
| Jan 29, 1956 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 112-103 | |
| Jan 31, 1956 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 114-91 | |
| Feb 01, 1956 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 107-106 | |
| Feb 02, 1956 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 102-101 | |
| Feb 04, 1956 | @ Rochester Royals | L 83-69 | |
| Feb 05, 1956 | vs. New York Knicks | W 114-104 | |
| Feb 07, 1956 | @ New York Knicks | L 113-102 | |
| Feb 08, 1956 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 111-110 | |
| Feb 09, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 98-97 | |
| Feb 10, 1956 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 124-100 | |
| Feb 12, 1956 | vs. New York Knicks | W 116-108 | |
| Feb 18, 1956 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 115-101 | |
| Feb 19, 1956 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 120-118 | |
| Feb 21, 1956 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 101-97 | |
| Feb 22, 1956 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 93-90 | |
| Feb 24, 1956 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 135-129 | |
| Feb 26, 1956 | vs. Rochester Royals | W 111-100 | |
| Feb 28, 1956 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 113-97 | |
| Feb 29, 1956 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 106-99 | |
| Mar 01, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 111-100 | |
| Mar 02, 1956 | vs. Minneapolis Lakers | W 119-113 | |
| Mar 04, 1956 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 128-114 | |
| Mar 06, 1956 | @ New York Knicks | L 119-99 | |
| Mar 07, 1956 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 111-98 | |
| Mar 08, 1956 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 142-120 | |
| Mar 10, 1956 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | L 106-103 | |
| Mar 11, 1956 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 127-121 | |
| Mar 14, 1956 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 122-103 |