The 1970–71 NBA season was the Celtics' 25th season in the NBA. They missed the playoffs for the second straight season.[1]
See main article: article and 1970 NBA draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | C/PF | Florida State | ||
| 2 | 21 | PG/SG | Jacksonville | ||
| 3 | 38 | F | Florida State | ||
| 4 | 55 | Jon McKinney | F | Norfolk State | |
| 5 | 72 | Tom Carter | F | Paul Quinn | |
| 6 | 89 | Rod McIntyre | F | Jacksonville | |
| 7 | 106 | PG/SG | North Carolina | ||
| 8 | 123 | C | Tennessee | ||
| 9 | 140 | Tom Little | G | Seattle | |
| 10 | 157 | PF | Davidson | ||
z = clinched division title
y = clinched division title
x = clinched playoff spot
| 1970–71 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CIN | CLE | DET | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SDR | SFW | SEA |
| — | 3–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–2 | ||
| 3–3 | — | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | ||
| Boston | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 4–0 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | |
| 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | — | 0–4 | 0–4 | 5–7 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 6–6 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | ||
| 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 4–0 | — | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | ||
| 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 0–4 | — | 5–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–4 | ||
| 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 7–5 | 0–4 | 1–5 | — | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–10 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | ||
| 5–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–2 | — | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 3–1 | ||
| 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | — | 1–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | ||
| 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 4–1 | — | 1–4 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 6–0 | 5–1 | ||
| 3–3 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | — | 2–4 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | ||
| 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | — | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | ||
| 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 2–3 | — | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | ||
| 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 6–6 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 10–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–4 | ||
| 3–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–0 | — | 2–4 | 5–1 | ||
| 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | — | 3–3 | ||
| 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | ||
| 1970–71 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 13 | 107–114 | John Havlicek (31) | 0–1 | ||
| 2 | October 15 | 100–119 | Dave Cowens (27) | 0–2 | ||
| 3 | October 17 | 114–126 | John Havlicek (23) | 0–3 | ||
| 4 | October 18 | 133–115 | John Havlicek (38) | 1–3 | ||
| 5 | October 21 | 121–118 | John Havlicek (33) | 1–4 | ||
| 6 | October 23 | 126–131 | John Havlicek (32) | 2–4 | ||
| 7 | October 24 | 113–109 | Jo Jo White (29) | 3–4 | ||
| 8 | October 28 | New York | 126–89 | Jo Jo White (19) | 3–5 | |
| 9 | October 30 | Phoenix | 112–127 | John Havlicek (33) | 4–5 | |
| 10 | October 31 | 133–102 | John Havlicek (33) | 5–5 | ||
| 11 | November 4 | Philadelphia | 113–115 | John Havlicek (37) | 6–5 | |
| 12 | November 6 | Seattle | 94–116 | John Havlicek (30) | 7–5 | |
| 13 | November 7 | @ Cincinnati | 140–122 | John Havlicek (37) | 8–5 | |
| 14 | November 11 | 123–113 | John Havlicek (31) | 8–6 | ||
| 15 | November 13 | Atlanta | 116–114 | Dave Cowens (29) | 8–7 | |
| 16 | November 14 | 101–122 | Jo Jo White (21) | 8–8 | ||
| 17 | November 18 | 90–89 | John Havlicek (30) | 8–9 | ||
| 18 | November 20 | 112–116 | Dave Cowens (29) | 9–9 | ||
| 19 | November 21 | 107–110 | John Havlicek (28) | 9–10 | ||
| 20 | November 25 | Portland | 115–122 | John Havlicek (32) | 10–10 | |
| 21 | November 27 | Baltimore | 107–153 | John Havlicek (33) | 11–10 | |
| 22 | November 28 | @ Detroit | 121–98 | Jo Jo White (27) | 12–10 | |
| 23 | November 30 | 106–109 | John Havlicek (38) | 13–10 | ||
| 24 | December 1 | @ Buffalo | 117–116 (OT) | Jo Jo White (37) | 14–10 | |
| 25 | December 2 | 111–114 | John Havlicek (26) | 15–10 | ||
| 26 | December 4 | @ Cleveland | 118–107 | John Havlicek (39) | 16–10 | |
| 27 | December 5 | @ Chicago | 101–97 | John Havlicek (38) | 17–10 | |
| 28 | December 8 | @ Buffalo | 122–102 | John Havlicek (34) | 18–10 | |
| 29 | December 9 | Seattle | 121–136 | John Havlicek (29) | 19–10 | |
| 30 | December 11 | Detroit | 121–118 (OT) | John Havlicek (32) | 19–11 | |
| 31 | December 17 | Buffalo | 93–102 | Jo Jo White (35) | 20–11 | |
| 32 | December 18 | @ Milwaukee | 114–124 | John Havlicek (25) | 20–12 | |
| 33 | December 19 | @ Baltimore | 128–134 | John Havlicek (34) | 20–13 | |
| 34 | December 22 | @ San Francisco | 138–108 | Jo Jo White (35) | 21–13 | |
| 35 | December 25 | @ Los Angeles | 113–123 | John Havlicek (25) | 21–14 | |
| 36 | December 26 | @ Seattle | 117–124 | John Havlicek (32) | 21–15 | |
| 37 | December 27 | @ Portland | 123–135 | Havlicek, Nelson (29) | 21–16 | |
| 38 | December 29 | 110–108 | John Havlicek (22) | 22–16 | ||
| 39 | December 31 | San Francisco | 144–106 | Jo Jo White (25) | 22–17 | |
| 40 | January 2 | @ Philadelphia | 125–120 | Dave Cowens (29) | 23–17 | |
| 41 | January 3 | @ Atlanta | 140–128 | Don Chaney (31) | 24–17 | |
| 42 | January 5 | N Portland | 124–120 | Jo Jo White (24) | 24–18 | |
| 43 | January 6 | Seattle | 112–137 | John Havlicek (32) | 25–18 | |
| 44 | January 8 | Phoenix | 114–122 | John Havlicek (39) | 26–18 | |
| 45 | January 10 | Philadelphia | 115–107 | John Havlicek (34) | 26–19 | |
| 46 | January 15 | Atlanta | 123–134 | John Havlicek (27) | 27–19 | |
| 47 | January 16 | @ Detroit | 118–121 | John Havlicek (29) | 27–20 | |
| 48 | January 17 | @ Milwaukee | 113–120 | Don Nelson (26) | 27–21 | |
| 49 | January 20 | San Diego | 112–142 | John Havlicek (31) | 28–21 | |
| 50 | January 22 | Baltimore | 136–117 | Jo Jo White (26) | 28–22 | |
| 51 | January 23 | @ New York | 107–128 | Jo Jo White (31) | 28–23 | |
| 52 | January 24 | Cleveland | 110–121 | John Havlicek (36) | 29–23 | |
| 53 | January 25 | @ Cleveland | 116–117 | John Havlicek (29) | 29–24 | |
| 54 | January 27 | Milwaukee | 132–129 | Jo Jo White (30) | 29–25 | |
| 55 | January 29 | New York | 118–111 | John Havlicek (27) | 29–26 | |
| 56 | January 31 | Philadelphia | 126–132 | John Havlicek (31) | 30–26 | |
| 57 | February 2 | @ Philadelphia | 105–108 | Dave Cowens (22) | 30–27 | |
| 58 | February 3 | @ Cincinnati | 115–134 | John Havlicek (28) | 30–28 | |
| 59 | February 5 | Cincinnati | 110–114 | Havlicek, White (26) | 31–28 | |
| 60 | February 7 | Chicago | 96–104 | John Havlicek (32) | 32–28 | |
| 61 | February 9 | @ Chicago | 90–88 | John Havlicek (33) | 33–28 | |
| 62 | February 10 | @ Atlanta | 102–114 | John Havlicek (23) | 33–29 | |
| 63 | February 12 | @ Baltimore | 113–109 (OT) | John Havlicek (36) | 34–29 | |
| 64 | February 14 | @ Detroit | 110–108 | John Havlicek (36) | 35–29 | |
| 65 | February 16 | Phoenix | 119–116 | John Havlicek (39) | 35–30 | |
| 66 | February 17 | @ San Francisco | 129–99 | John Havlicek (28) | 36–30 | |
| 67 | February 19 | @ Phoenix | 112–116 | Jo Jo White (33) | 36–31 | |
| 68 | February 20 | @ San Diego | 118–128 | John Havlicek (37) | 36–32 | |
| 69 | February 21 | @ Los Angeles | 116–124 | John Havlicek (32) | 36–33 | |
| 70 | February 24 | Los Angeles | 96–116 | John Havlicek (28) | 37–33 | |
| 71 | February 26 | Atlanta | 129–136 (OT) | Jo Jo White (38) | 38–33 | |
| 72 | February 28 | Milwaukee | 111–99 | Dave Cowens (36) | 38–34 | |
| 73 | March 3 | San Diego | 113–128 | Jo Jo White (34) | 39–34 | |
| 74 | March 6 | @ New York | 104–112 | Chaney, Havlicek (27) | 39–35 | |
| 75 | March 7 | New York | 116–110 | John Havlicek (37) | 39–36 | |
| 76 | March 9 | @ San Francisco | 134–112 | John Havlicek (37) | 40–36 | |
| 77 | March 11 | @ San Diego | 91–115 | Jo Jo White (17) | 40–37 | |
| 78 | March 12 | N Cincinnati | 124–108 | John Havlicek (30) | 40–38 | |
| 79 | March 14 | Chicago | 104–117 | Don Nelson (36) | 41–38 | |
| 80 | March 17 | Los Angeles | 104–112 | John Havlicek (27) | 42–38 | |
| 81 | March 19 | Baltimore | 117–125 | John Havlicek (28) | 43–38 | |
| 82 | March 21 | Cincinnati | 110–135 | Jo Jo White (28) | 44–38 |