Boston Celtics has won 17 NBA Championship rings and one NBA Championship ring won in 2008. The franchise is one of the two teams with 17 NBA Championship titles. The other Franchise being the Los Angeles Lakers.

Furthermore, the Boston Celtics currently hold the record for the most recorded wins of any NBA team.

Boston Celtics Rivalry

The Boston Celtics have a notable rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers, which was heavily highlighted throughout the 1960s and 1980s.

During the two teams’ many match-ups in the 1980s, the Celtics’ star, Larry Bird, and the Lakers’ star, Magic Johnson, had an ongoing feud.

The franchise has played the Lakers a record 12 times in the NBA Finals (including their most recent appearances in 2008 and 2010), of which the Celtics have won nine.

Four Boston Celtics players (Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Dave Cowens and Larry Bird) have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for an NBA record total of 10 MVP awards.

Both the nickname “Celtics” and their mascot “Lucky the Leprechaun” are a nod to Boston’s historically large Irish population, and also to the Original Celtics, a marquee team prior to the NBA.

Rising Dominance

The Boston Celtics’ rise to dominance began in the late 1950s, after coach Red Auerbach acquired center Bill Russell, who would become the cornerstone of the Celtics dynasty.

In a draft-day trade in 1956. Led by Russell and point guard Bob Cousy, the Boston Celtics won their first NBA championship ring in 1957.

Bill Russell, along with a talented supporting cast of future Hall of Famers including John Havlicek.

Furthermore, Tom Heinsohn, K. C. Jones, Sam Jones, Satch Sanders, and Bill Sharman, would usher the Celtics into the greatest period in franchise history.

Above all, winning eight consecutive NBA championships rings from 1959 to 1966. After Bill Russell retired in 1969, the team entered a period of rebuilding.

In the mid-1970s, the Celtics became contenders once again, winning two championships in 1974 and 1976 under the leadership of center Dave Cowens and point guard JoJo White.

Boston Celtics 1980s NBA Championship Rings

In the 1980s, the Boston Celtics returned to dominance, as well as renewed competition with the “Showtime” Lakers, who were led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Anchored by the “Big Three” of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, the Celtics won championships in 1981, 1984, and 1986.

The team defeated the Lakers in the 1984 Finals, but lost to Los Angeles in 1985 and 1987. After the departure of Parish as a free agent and the retirement of both Bird and McHale.

This led to the team struggled through the 1990s and much of the early 2000s.

It was not until the Celtics assembled a new “Big Three” of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen that they found success once again.

Under the leadership of head coach Doc Rivers, the team beat the Lakers to win a NBA championship ring in 2008, but lost to Los Angeles in a seven-game series in 2010, the latest Finals matchup between the two ancient rivals.

Boston Celtics start of the 2013-2014 season

By the start of the 2013–14 season, none of the new “Big Three” were still with the team.

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were traded away to the Brooklyn Nets, while Allen left as a free agent.

After a period of rebuilding, the Boston Celtics became a force again under head coach Brad Stevens. During the 2016–17 season, the Celtics clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

However, was eliminated in the Conference Finals. Led by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

The team returned to the Conference Finals in 2018, 2020 and 2022, breaking through to the NBA Finals in 2022.

Competing for the 2021 NBA Championship Ring

In April 2022, the Boston Celtics qualified for the 2022 NBA playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Faceing the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the postseason.

They next faced the Milwaukee Bucks in the conference semifinals.

Defeating the Miami Heat in the conference finals, defeating both teams in a 7-game series, earning the Boston Celtics their first Finals appearance since 2010.

2021-2022 NBA Finals

Now, the Boston Celtics is on a match up with the Golden State Warriors made up of Superstar Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

Can the Boston Celtics overcome the Warriors favorite and bring home their next NBA Championship ring since the 2008 NBA Championship ring they have won in the last century.

Below is a preview of all the Boston Celtics NAB Championship rings the franchise have won in the past.