The 1974–75 Boston Celtics season was the 29th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] The Celtics entered the season hoping to repeat as NBA champions, but were unable to defend their title, falling in the Eastern Conference finals to the Washington Bullets in six games. They did however, win their division for the fourth consecutive season, and their conference final appearance was the fourth straight to that point.
The Boston Celtics were one of a handful of teams to play home games in four arenas; playing out of more than one arena was common in the league's first 30 or so years. Their main venue was Boston Garden, but three home games were played at the Hartford Civic Center, three at the Providence Civic Center and one at the Springfield Civic Center.
See main article: 1974 NBA draft. This table only displays picks through the second round.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | Glenn McDonald | SF | ||
| 2 | 35 | Kevin Stacom | SG | ||
| 1974–75 NBA Records | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCO | LAL | MIL | NOJ | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–5 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–5 | |
| Boston | 4–0 | – | 5–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 7–2 | 5–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | |
| Buffalo | 3–1 | 4–5 | – | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 5–3 | 6–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | |
| Chicago | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | – | 2–2 | 4–5 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–5 | 3–1 | 3–5 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | |
| Cleveland | 4–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | – | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 6–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–5 | |
| Detroit | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 5–4 | 2–2 | – | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–6 | 3–1 | 3–6 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | |
| Golden State | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | – | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 5–3 | 4–3 | 1–3 | |
| Houston | 5–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | |
| Kansas City-Omaha | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–4 | 2–2 | 6–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | – | 3–1 | 6–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | |
| Los Angeles | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | – | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 4–4 | 2–5 | 2–6 | 1–3 | |
| Milwaukee | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 3–1 | 6–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–6 | 0–4 | – | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | |
| New Orleans | 5–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–6 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 3–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | – | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–7 | |
| New York | 4–0 | 2–7 | 3–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | – | 4–5 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | |
| Philadelphia | 2–2 | 3–5 | 3–6 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 5–4 | – | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | |
| Phoenix | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | – | 1–6 | 4–3 | 1–3 | |
| Portland | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 5–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 6–1 | – | 2–6 | 1–3 | |
| Seattle | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 6–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 6–2 | – | 1–3 | |
| Washington | 5–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 7–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | — | |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| April 14| Houston| W 123–106| John Havlicek (30)| Dave Cowens (19)| John Havlicek (9)| Boston Garden
15,320| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| April 16| Houston| W 112–100| Dave Cowens (28)| Dave Cowens (18)| John Havlicek (7)| Boston Garden
13,254| 2–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| April 19| @ Houston| L 102–117| Don Nelson (21)| Havlicek, Silas (8)| Silas, White (5)| Hofheinz Pavilion
10,218| 2–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 4| April 22| @ Houston| W 122–117| Dave Cowens (31)| —| —| Hofheinz Pavilion
10,218| 3–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 5| April 24| Houston| W 128–115| John Havlicek (28)| Dave Cowens (12)| John Havlicek (11)| Boston Garden
15,320| 4–1|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| April 27| Washington| L 95–100| Jo Jo White (27)| Dave Cowens (19)| Paul Silas (6)| Boston Garden
15,320| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| April 30| @ Washington| L 92–117| Don Nelson (23)| Paul Silas (17)| Jo Jo White (7)| Capital Centre
19,035| 0–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| May 3| Washington| W 101–90| John Havlicek (26)| Paul Silas (25)| Jo Jo White (7)| Boston Garden
15,320| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| May 7| @ Washington| L 108–119| Jo Jo White (32)| Dave Cowens (17)| Jo Jo White (7)| Capital Centre
19,035| 1–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 5| May 9| Washington| W 103–99| Dave Cowens (27)| Dave Cowens (12)| Don Chaney (5)| Boston Garden
15,320| 2–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 6| May 11| @ Washington| L 92–98| Dave Cowens (23)| Dave Cowens (21)| Jo Jo White (6)| Capital Centre
19,035| 2–4|-