Celtics City
Seasons (1)
Chapter I: Founding Fathers
Led by Bob Cousy and Bill Russell, the Celtics become an NBA dynasty, but racial tensions in Boston and beyond augur a turbulent era ahead.
Chapter II: No Final Victories
Amid backlash for his commitment to civil rights, Bill Russell makes history as the first Black head coach in professional sports.
Chapter III: All Swept Up
The Celtics win a pair of titles in the ‘70s amid racial unrest, and near the end of the decade, they draft Indiana State star Larry Bird.
Chapter IV: Great Hope, Period
Larry Bird arrives in Boston as a beacon of hope for a city still grappling with racial tensions and its identity in flux. His blend of talent and tenacity embodies Boston's working-class ethos, while his rivalry with Magic Johnson and battles against Julius Erving help revive a struggling NBA and elevate it to new heights. With the additions of Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, Bird helps lead the Celtics to their 14th championship in 1981. However, internal discord threatens to derail another potential dynasty.
Chapter V: F**k the Celtics
As the Celtics and Lakers battle for basketball supremacy, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson's rivalry captivates the sports world. The Celtics and the Lakers trade titles in epic showdowns as the teams' racial identities fuel complex conversations about Boston's lingering reputation. In 1986, Bird helps lead the Celtics to one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history, but then an unthinkable tragedy changes everything.
Chapter VI: Untenable Toll
The tragic death of Len Bias after the 1986 draft casts a shadow over the Celtics, and Larry Bird's style of play begins to take its toll - all as new rivals emerge with the Celtics going head-to-head with the "Bad Boys" Detroit Pistons in a heated 1987 playoff series before ultimately falling to Magic Johnson and the Lakers in the Finals. Bird fights through pain to extend his career, but in 1992, he retires and closes a historic chapter for the Celtics and the NBA.
Chapter VII: Not Again
As the Celtics struggle to find a new identity with young Black stars, Reggie Lewis appears poised to lead their resurgence before his sudden death leaves the franchise and city in mourning again. Even the arrival of new team president and coach Rick Pitino in 1997 doesn't help as the team spirals into crisis, decline, and then irrelevance. One month before the 2000-01 season, promising forward Paul Pierce is left clinging for his life after being stabbed in a Boston nightclub. Fans are left to wonder if the Celtics will ever rise again.
Chapter VIII: Ubuntu
After another downturn, new GM and former Celtic Danny Ainge acquires Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to form a "Big Three" with Paul Pierce.
Chapter IX: We're the Celtics
Following the franchise’s 2008 title, injuries, age, and internal conflict take their toll. A decade later, rising stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum step up to carry the weight of the Celtics’ storied tradition. In 2024, the team captures its record-breaking 18th championship, further cementing its legacy as one of the greatest dynasties in sports history.
