Boston Celtics Trivia Quiz Questions and Answers
Who are the Boston Celtics?
A: The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball franchise based in
Boston, Massachusetts.
The Celtics struggled during their early years, until the
hiring of what coach?
A: Red Auerbach.
In the franchise's early days, Auerbach had no what?
A: Assistants.
What did Auerbach do?
A: He ran all the practices, did all the
scouting and scheduled all the road
trips.
Who was one of the first great players to join the Celtics?
A: Bob Cousy.
After the 1955–56 season, Auerbach made a stunning trade,
sending perennial All-Star Ed Macauley to the St. Louis Hawks along with the
draft rights to Cliff Hagan in exchange for what?
A: The second overall pick in the draft.
After negotiating with the Rochester Royals, Auerbach used
the pick to select whom?
A: University of San Francisco center Bill Russell.
Auerbach also acquired what Holy Cross standout, and 1957
NBA Rookie of the Year?
A: Tommy Heinsohn.
Russell and Heinsohn worked extraordinarily well with whom?
A: Cousy.
Cousy, Russell, and Heinsohn were the players around whom
Auerbach would do what?
A: Build the champion Celtics for more than a decade.
With Bill Russell, the Celtics advanced to the what?
A: The NBA Finals and defeated the St. Louis Hawks in seven
games.
This gave the Celtics the first of their what?
A: Record seventeen championships.
Russell later won 11 championships, making him what?
A: The most decorated player in NBA history.
In 1958, the Celtics again advanced to the NBA Finals, this
time losing to what team in 6 games?
A: The Hawks.
With the acquisition of K.C. Jones that year, the Celtics
began a what?
A: A dynasty that would last for more than a decade.
In 1959, the Celtics won the NBA Championship after
sweeping what team?
A: The Minneapolis Lakers.
It was the first of their record eight what?
A: Consecutive championships.
The Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals how many times?
A: Five, starting an intense and often bitter rivalry that has spanned
generations.
In 1964, the Celtics became the first NBA team to what?
A: Have an all African American starting lineup.
On December 26, 1964, Willie Naulls replaced what injured
player?
A: Tommy Heinsohn.
The Boston Celtics of the late-1950s–60s are widely
considered what?
A: One of the most dominant teams of all time.
When did Auerbach retire as coach?
A: After the 1965–66 season.
Who took over as player-coach?
A: Russell.
It was Auerbach's ploy to what?
A: Keep Russell interested.
With his appointment, Russell also became the first what?
A: African American coach in any U.S. pro sport.
Auerbach would remain the what?
A: General Manager, a position he would hold well into the
1980s.
The Celtics' string of NBA titles was broken as they lost
to what team in the Eastern Conference Finals?
A: The Philadelphia 76ers.
The aging team managed two more championships in
1968 and
1969, defeating who each time in the NBA Finals?
A: The Lakers.
Russell retired after the 1969 season, effectively ending a
what?
A: A dominant Celtics dynasty that had garnered 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons.
The streak of 8 consecutive championships is the longest
streak of consecutive championships in what?
A: U.S. professional sports history.
Who coached the Boston Celtics to the 1974 and 1976 NBA
Championship?
A: Tom Heinsohn.
The 1970 season was a rebuilding year, as the Celtics had
their first losing record since what season?
A: The 1949–50 season.
With the acquisition of Dave Cowens, Paul Silas, and Jo Jo
White, the Celtics soon became what?
A: Dominant again.
After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1972, the
Celtics regrouped and came out and posted what?
A: An excellent 68–14 regular season record.
But the season ended in disappointment, as they were upset
in 7 games by what team in the Conference Finals?
A: the New York Knicks.
John Havlicek injured his right shoulder in game six and
was forced to do what?
A: Play game 7 shooting left handed.
The Celtics returned to the playoffs the next year,
defeating what team in the NBA Finals in 1974 for their 12th NBA Championship?
A: The Milwaukee Bucks.