1959-1960 Boston Celtics: Championship #3

The 1959-1960 Boston Celtics were the first Celtics team to repeat as NBA champions, but far from the last. Playing a fast-paced, run-and-gun style, the athletic Celtics averaged 124.5 ppg on their way to an outstanding 59-16 record.

The 1959-1960 Boston Celtics were led in scoring by Tom Heinsohn (21.7 ppg), rebounding by Bill Russell (24.0 rpg), and assists by Bob Cousy (9.5 apg).

The 1959-1960 Celtics team will also be known for dispatching Wilt Chamberlain from the playoffs. Wilt, or “The Big Dipper”, won the league’s MVP trophy that year in addition to being named its Rookie of the Year. Despite all his individual accolades, Wilt never quite had the team success as Russell did, bowing out of the playoffs to Russell’s Celtics on several occasions. In 1959-1960, the Boston Celtics dispatched Wilt in the playoffs for the first time, marking the beginning of an exciting rivalry between the league’s two premier centers, Russell and Chamberlain.

After beating Wilt’s Philadelphia Warriors in the Eastern Division Finals, four games to two, the Celtics won a tightly-contested seven game series over the St. Louis Hawks.