Banner Years: 1966, one final victory cigar

NBA history spans 80 seasons, and as CelticsBlog readers well know, the Boston Celtics have won a league-high 18 championships. This month, we are recapping each of those title years.

He was a kid born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., whose parents ran a deli. He went to college in Washington, DC, and continued to live there for the rest of his life. He also wound up spending nearly six decades in Boston as the architect of the greatest basketball franchise of all time. He coached 20 seasons and won more than anyone in the NBA at the time he retired, holding records that still stand. He invented the victory cigar. The Coach of the Year trophy is now named after him. As a team executive, he pulled off legendary trades and led the franchise to endless achievements. Throughout his career he was an influencer on civil rights. And he was associated with winning 16 NBA championships.

Red Auerbach shown in a familiar pose, coaching the Boston Celtics, clutching a rolled up program and smoking a victory cigar on the bench during a game played at the Boston Garden. Copyright 1965 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Yes, that was the real life that Arnold “Red” Auerbach lived during his 89 years. So, when he decided to step down from coaching and go to the front office full-time after the 1966 playoffs, that got people’s attention.

Auerbach announced his plans in preseason and literally told his opponents that they had “one last crack at me.”

Red Auerbach coached 20 NBA seasons, the last 16 in Boston. He won 938 regular season games and 99 playoff games. His overall record was 1,037-548, equaling a .654 winning percentage. His eight consecutive titles with the Celtics is an unbreakable record.

The regular season

For the first time in 10 years, Boston did not win the Eastern Division. Their record was 54-26, with uneven results throughout the schedule. Their longest win streak was during the last six games of the season, but the Philadelphia 76ers edged them by one win. Many of the original core were now retired or moved on. And the Sixers were improving.

The Celtics still had the league’s best defense, but the offensive rating ranked next to last. While they were motivated to win one for Red on his way out, that sort of pressure can wear you down too. On top of that, going for an eighth straight title was even more draining.

A new roster addition was Don Nelson, entering his fourth NBA season. Nelson was on the Lakers when they were run off the court at the end of the 1965 Finals. He was cut after the season. Boston signed him as a free agent. “Nellie” would go on to play more than 1,000 games, win five titles, then become a head coach with five teams spanning three decades. He ranks second all-time with 1,335 wins, as well as earning Coach of the Year three times. Don Nelson passed away this past Sunday at age 86. Rest in peace, champ.

K.C. clips

We haven’t mentioned K.C. Jones enough in this Banner Years series, so let’s pause and correct that with this short video.

Eastern playoffs

Because they finished second, the Celtics finally had to play a first-round, best-of-five series, versus the Cincinnati Royals. All the aforementioned motivation must’ve been forgotten because the Royals won Games 1 and 3 in Boston. Only a fourth-quarter comeback fueled by 42 points from Sam Jones in Game 2 saved the Cs from a catastrophic sweep.

Game 4 was in Cincinnati, but the Royals missed their chance to end the dynasty when Sam and Satch Sanders combined for 60 points. Oscar Robertson almost drove the Royals to victory in Game 5 with 37 points. However, Sam Jones once again nearly matched him with 34 points and Boston won, 112-103. It was the only game won by the home team.

The Sixers were next, and this time they had home court advantage – which the Celtics immediately stole by blowing out Game 1 there, 115-96, and Game 2 at home, 114-93. The latter contest featured an actual fistfight between Boston’s Larry Siegfried and Philly’s Billy Cunningham, which led to Russ and Wilt going nose-to-nose. No one backed down!

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Chamberlain’s 31-point, 27-rebound effort saved face and saved Philly from doom in Game 3. Temporarily. The Celtics refused to allow the Sixers to close out Red’s career. Game 4 at home, 114-108, and Game 5 away, 120-112, and it was over. A gentleman’s sweep, almost like the regular season never happened. Chamberlain went for 46 and 34 in the closeout, but John Havlicek and Sam Jones combined for 62 points. Russell’s line was 18/31/6.

The matchup

Chamberlain’s various teams had now faced Russell’s Celtics in five playoff series. Wilt’s record: 0-5.

NBA Finals

Auerbach and the Celtics moved on to their 10th straight Finals appearance. Their opponent was another regular foe, the LA Lakers. But before the series began, the Celtics announced that Bill Russell had accepted the coaching job as Red’s successor beginning next season. Russell would serve as player-coach and would be the first black head coach of a major professional sports team in the United States.

The first black draft choice, black and white players rooming together on the road (at that time, teams customarily assigned two players per room), the first all-black starting five, and now the coach. Another milestone action by the franchise.

Bill Russell was named as new coach of the Boston Celtics and became the first black coach in the NBA. Russell and Red Auerbach pose after the announcement. (Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

The push for integration and equal rights versus the segregationists who resisted had created a volatile situation in the U.S. Sports were not excluded. Russell had a big job ahead of him. But first, there was one more series to play.

And the way it unfolded was frustrating for the Celtics and their fans. If it happened like this today, Twitter would melt down.

Game 1 in Boston began with the Celtics running out to a 14-point advantage, but LA cut it to one by halftime. A tight second half led to overtime and the Lakers pulled it out for a 1-0 series lead. Russell, Sam Jones and John Havlicek combined for 72 points, but Elgin Baylor – healthy this year – and Jerry West compiled 77 points, plus rookie Gail Goodrich added 20. Most noticeable was the 39 of 55 free throws for LA, compared to Boston’s 27 of 34, especially since the final score was close, 133-129.

Series turning point, part 1

Game 2, West and Baylor combined to shoot just 12 for 34 and 34 points. No one on the Lakers scored more than 18 points. Final: 129-109, Boston, series tied and momentum beginning to build.

In Games 3 and 4 in Los Angeles, Boston appeared to settle matters by winning both, 120-106, and 122-117. In each game, the Celtics had a trio of players combine for nearly 80 points. Now up 3-1, it’s back to Boston Garden for Red’s anticipated celebration.

Series turning point, part 2

Not so fast. The Lakers delayed the party by winning Game 5, 121-117. Baylor and West got hot again with 72 combined points. Russell’s 32-point, 28-rebound effort wasn’t enough. Game 6 in LA also went to the Lakers, 123-115, thanks to a fourth quarter in which they pulled away down the stretch.

Two closeout games lost, LA forcing Game 7 in Boston – the motivation probably changed from “let’s win for Red” to something like “we cannot let this happen.”

The Celtics immediately made a statement, jumping out to a 10-0 lead. They stretched it to 16 after three quarters, but the Lakers rallied to within a few points. In response, Sam Jones banked one in from what was called 40 feet, and Russell’s drive and dunk made it 10 with 30 seconds left.

The Garden crowd was jubilant and Red lit his cigar, with Massachusetts Gov. John Volpe handling the lighter. The celebration had begun, but the game wasn’t over, and the chaos of fans getting in the way nearly caused a disaster in the last three minutes. The desperate Lakers patched together an 8-0 run, still with time on the clock. Auerbach had never lit his cigar too soon, but on this night, of all nights, he almost did. It’s all in this amazing video.

WHEW!

The heroes we needed

Russell was masterful with 25 points and 32 rebounds in Game 7. His dunk with 30 seconds left triggered the celebration that nearly backfired. Sam Jones added 22 points.

It wasn’t over until…

…Literally the last second of the final minute of the series. Boston had been right there to end it in five, then found themselves barely able to run out the clock to survive Game 7. LA simply ran out of time. The Celtics were great enough to win eight straight titles, but the perception that they strolled to those titles with no competition couldn’t be more wrong.

The matchup

This was the fifth time the Lakers had faced Russell and the Celtics in the Finals. The Lakers’ record: 0-5.

Notable facts and stats

Russell may not have been a scorer but he led Boston in the series with 23.6 points per game, while adding 24.3 boards, 3.7 assists and ridiculous numbers of blocks, which we know even though they weren’t counted.
Sam Jones and Havlicek each averaged 23 PPG.
Jerry West averaged 33.9/6.4/5.1.
With hindsight, we know the title streak ended here, but the new coach Russell wasn’t finished.