1983–84 Boston Celtics season

The 1983–84 Boston Celtics were champions of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the 15th time in franchise history, led by regular season and finals MVP Larry Bird.

In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Washington Bullets in the First Round in three games, defeated the New York Knicks in the Semi-finals in seven games, and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in the Conference Finals in five games, advancing to the NBA Finals. In the Finals, the Celtics faced their long time rival, the Los Angeles Lakers, the first time the two teams faced off against each other since 1969 in which the Celtics won 4–3, and the first time the two teams met in the Finals in the 1980s. The Celtics would go on to defeat the Lakers in seven games, winning their fifteenth NBA championship, and extending their NBA Finals victories over the Lakers to 8. HoopsHype would later rank this squad as the team with the 15th easiest route to the NBA Finals championship, primarily due to the record of the Washington Bullets in the first round.

Offseason

NBA draft Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team 1 21 Greg Kite Center BYU

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot

Game log

Regular season

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | | @ Detroit | L 121–127 | McHale (25) | McHale (15) | Henderson (6) | Pontiac Silverdome17,117 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | | @ Cleveland | W 108–89 | McHale (22) | Bird (13) | Bird (7) | Richfield Coliseum8,194 | 1–1

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | | Milwaukee | W 119–105 | Bird (27) | Parish (16) | Bird (6) | Boston Garden14,890 | 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | | Indiana | W 121–105 | Parish (34) | Bird, Maxwell (9) | Johnson (9) | Boston Garden14,890 | 3–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc | 5 | | @ Washington | W 120–117 | Bird (28) | Bird (8) | Bird (9) | Capital Centre16,250 | 4–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | | @ Indiana | W 99–97 | Bird (26) | Parish (11) | Bird (7) | Market Square Arena14,935 | 5–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | | San Diego | W 129–122 | Bird (25) | Bird (11) | Bird (9) | Boston Garden14,890 | 6–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | | Detroit | W 126–118 | Bird (39) | McHale, Parish (12) | Maxwell (8) | Boston Garden14,890 | 7–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | | @ Chicago | W 116–101 | Johnson (23) | Parish (13) | Maxwell (5) | Chicago Stadium11,942 | 8–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 | | @ Denver | W 140–124 | Bird (28) | Parish (13) | Bird (10) | McNichols Sports Arena13,908 | 9–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 11 | | @ Utah | L 109–122 | Parish (25) | Parish (17) | Bird (8) | Salt Palace Acord Arena12,743 | 9–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | | New York | L 103–110 | Johnson (18) | McHale (13) | Bird (8) | Boston Garden14,890 | 9–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | | @ Philadelphia | L 91–92 | Bird (18) | Parish (11) | Bird, Johnson (5) | The Spectrum17,921 | 9–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | | @ New York | L 113–117 (2OT) | McHale (25) | Parish (13) | Bird (11) | Madison Square Garden16,921 | 9–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | | Atlanta | W 109–102 | Johnson (25) | Parish (11) | Bird (8) | Boston Garden14,890 | 10–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 | | Detroit | W 114–99 | McHale (29) | Parish (13) | Bird (8) | Boston Garden14,890 | 11–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 | | San Antonio | W 130–106 | Bird (23) | Bird (14) | Bird (13) | Boston Garden14,890 | 12–5

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | | Portland | W 115–106 | Bird (41) | Bird (14) | Johnson (11) | Boston Garden14,890 | 12–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | | Philadelphia | L 114–121 (OT) | Bird (22) | Parish (13) | Bird (13) | Boston Garden14,890 | 13–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 | | @ Chicago | W 118–105 | Bird (24) | McHale (14) | Johnson (8) | Chicago Stadium7,627 | 14–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 | | @ Indiana | W 100–95 | Parish (21) | Parish (17) | Bird (5) | Market Square Arena13,725 | 15–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 22 | | Denver | W 119–90 | McHale (21) | Parish (7) | Johnson (8) | Hartford Civic Center13,374 | 16–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | | @ Atlanta | W 104–87 | Parish (24) | Parish (15) | Maxwell (6) | The Omni9,917 | 17–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 | | @ New York | W 102–100 | Johnson (26) | Parish (11) | Henderson (5) | Madison Square Garden14,839 | 18–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | | Cleveland | W 110–108 | Parish (30) | Parish (16) | Henderson (6) | Boston Garden14,890 | 19–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | | Washington | L 93–100 | Bird (30) | Bird (10) | Ainge (6) | Boston Garden14,890 | 19–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 27 | | @ Detroit | W 129–115 | McHale (30) | McHale (16) | Bird (9) | Pontiac Silverdome24,318 | 20–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 | | Atlanta | W 107–96 | Bird, Maxwell, Parish (18) | Parish (9) | Bird (8) | Boston Garden14,890 | 21–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | | New Jersey | W 125–113 | Bird (26) | Parish (9) | Bird (8) | Boston Garden14,890 | 22–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | | @ San Antonio | W 115–100 | Bird (38) | Parish (12) | Bird (8) | HemisFair Arena13,112 | 23–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 | | @ Houston | L 94–107 | Parish (28) | Parish (19) | Bird (4) | The Summit16,016 | 23–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 | 8:35p.m. EST | @ Dallas | W 114–109 (OT) | Bird (36) | Parish (14) | Johnson (6) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 24–8

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 | | @ New Jersey | W 105–103 | Parish (27) | Parish (19) | Bird (5) | Brendan Byrne Arena13,478 | 25–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 | | Washington | W 113–104 | Bird (23) | Bird (9) | Johnson (5) | Boston Garden14,890 | 26–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 | | Cleveland | W 115–97 | Bird (19) | Bird (7) | Henderson (8) | Boston Garden14,890 | 27–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 36 | | Golden State | W 135–112 | Parish (33) | Parish (14) | Henderson (8) | Boston Garden14,890 | 28–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 37 | | @ Philadelphia | W 105–104 | Bird (29) | Bird (19) | Bird (8) | The Spectrum17,921 | 29–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 | | @ Milwaukee | L 87–106 | Ainge (18) | Parish (9) | Parish (4) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 29–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 | | @ Kansas City | W 122–113 | Bird (38) | Parish (14) | Bird (13) | Kemper Arena11,478 | 30–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | | Indiana | W 132–125 | Bird (27) | Parish (13) | Maxwell (9) | Hartford Civic Center13,134 | 31–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 41 | | Milwaukee | W 109–98 | Parish (22) | Parish (15) | Maxwell, Johnson (5) | Boston Garden14,890 | 32–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 | | @ Cleveland | W 118–97 | Bird (24) | Parish (9) | Ainge (5) | Richfield Coliseum5,830 | 33–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 | | Philadelphia | W 102–98 | Parish (24) | Parish (13) | Bird (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 34–9 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 | | @ Chicago | W 106–83 | Bird (28) | Bird, Parish (12) | Henderson, Buckner (5) | Chicago Stadium9,430 | 35–9

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 | | Kansas City | W 119–110 | Bird (32) | Parish (10) | Bird (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 36–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 46 | | Indiana | W 125–106 | Bird (27) | Bird (12) | Bird (9) | Boston Garden14,890 | 37–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 | | Detroit | W 137–134 (OT) | Parish (36) | Bird (19) | Ainge (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 38–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 | | @ New Jersey | L 112–115 | Bird (23) | Bird (12) | Henderson (7) | Brendan Byrne Arena14,808 | 38–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 | 8:00p.m. EST | Los Angeles | L 109–111 | Bird (29) | Bird, Parish (11) | Bird (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 38–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 50 | | Houston | W 114–101 | McHale (30) | Bird (14) | Bird (12) | Boston Garden14,890 | 39–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | | Philadelphia | L 91–109 | Bird (25) | Parish (13) | Ainge (5) | Boston Garden14,890 | 39–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 52 | | @ Golden State | W 125–115 | Parish (28) | Parish (14) | Bird (17) | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena13,335 | 40–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 53 | | @ Seattle | W 111–100 | Bird (30) | Bird (13) | Bird (13) | Kingdome19,468 | 41–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 54 | | @ Portland | W 107–101 | Bird (34) | Bird (18) | Bird (9) | Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 42–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 55 | | @ San Diego | L 107–114 | Bird (24) | Maxwell (8) | Henderson (8) | San Diego Sports Arena11,718 | 42–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | 10:30p.m. EST | @ Los Angeles | L 108–116 | McHale (26) | Parish (12) | Bird (5) | The Forum17,505 | 42–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 57 | | @ Phoenix | W 116–109 | Bird (23) | Bird (13) | Buckner (5) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum14,660 | 43–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 58 | | New York | L 98–102 | Bird (30) | Parish (16) | Bird (6) | Boston Garden14,890 | 43–15

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 59 | | Chicago | W 104–100 | Bird (28) | Bird (12) | Johnson (7) | Hartford Civic Center14,529 | 44–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 | | Seattle | W 117–93 | McHale (21) | McHale (12) | Bird (6) | Boston Garden14,890 | 45–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc | 61 | | @ Washington | W 108–85 | Parish (26) | McHale (12) | Buckner (6) | Capital Centre11,216 | 46–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 62 | | Utah | W 117–106 | Bird (26) | Bird (14) | Bird (9) | Boston Garden14,890 | 47–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 63 | | @ Milwaukee | W 129–128 (2OT) | Bird (30) | McHale (10) | Bird (12) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 48–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 | | Phoenix | W 117–109 | Parish (33) | Parish (12) | Bird (10) | Boston Garden14,890 | 49–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 | | Washington | L 99–103 | Bird (27) | Parish (9) | Bird, Henderson (6) | Boston Garden14,890 | 49–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 66 | | Milwaukee | W 109–99 | Bird (28) | Bird (12) | Bird, Johnson (5) | Boston Garden14,890 | 50–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 67 | | @ Atlanta | W 103–88 | Parish (22) | Parish (13) | Parish (6) | The Omni12,172 | 51–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 68 | | @ Indiana | L 121–123 (OT) | Bird (25) | McHale (14) | Bird (8) | Market Square Arena16,969 | 51–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 69 | | @ New York | W 108–100 | Johnson, Bird, McHale (23) | Bird (9) | Bird (11) | Madison Square Garden19,591 | 52–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 | | New Jersey | L 97–101 | Bird (33) | Bird (13) | Bird (4) | Boston Garden14,890 | 52–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 71 | | @ Philadelphia | L 114–119 (2OT) | Bird (33) | Bird (17) | Bird, Johnson, Henderson (6) | The Spectrum17,921 | 52–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc | 72 | | @ Washington | W 106–93 | Johnson (24) | Parish (13) | Bird (13) | Capital Centre11,355 | 53–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 73 | 7:30p.m. EST | Dallas | W 114–107 | Bird (23) | Bird,McHale (9) | Henderson (10) | Boston Garden14,890 | 54–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 74 | | Atlanta | W 105–96 | Bird (19) | Bird (11) | Bird (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 55–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 75 | | @ New Jersey | W 107–98 | Parish (30) | Parish (13) | Buckner (6) | Brendan Byrne Arena17,034 | 56–19