1976–77 Boston Celtics season

The 1976–77 Boston Celtics season was the 31st season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

1976–77 Boston Celtics season
Head coachTom Heinsohn
General managerRed Auerbach
ArenaBoston Garden
Hartford Civic Center
Results
Record44–38 (.537)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Atlantic)
Conference: 4th (Eastern)
Playoff finishConference Semi-finals
(lost to 76ers 3–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWBZ-TV
RadioWBZ

Even though the Celtics were the defending NBA champions, they were an aging team in transition. Thirty-five year old Don Nelson retired as a player, but the key contributors who remained were aging, namely John Havlicek (age 36), Jo Jo White (31), and Paul Silas (33). The Celtics took steps to get younger in the frontcourt by sending Silas to the Denver Nuggets in a three-way trade that ended up bringing Detroit Pistons forward Curtis Rowe. The Celtics also traded a first-round draft pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for Sidney Wicks. Wicks and Rowe would provide athleticism, the Celtics felt, and, more importantly, allow Havlicek to return to a sixth-man role and not log as many minutes as in the past.

Draft picks
Main article: 1976 NBA draft

The Celtics picked 16th in the 1976 NBA draft and selected Norm Cook, a 6–8, 210-lb. junior-eligible forward from the University of Kansas. Cook, however, did not contribute much, playing in only 25 games and averaging 2.5 points per game.[1]

Roster
Boston Celtics roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
C 34 United States Ard, Jim 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Cincinnati
F 31 United States Boswell, Tom 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) South Carolina
F 52 United States Cook, Norm 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Kansas
F/C 18 United States Cowens, Dave 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Florida State
G/F 17 United States Havlicek, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 203 lb (92 kg) Ohio State
F/C 33 United States Kuberski, Steve 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Bradley
F 41 United States Rowe, Curtis 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) UCLA
F 20 United States Saunders, Fred 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Syracuse
G 11 United States Scott, Charlie 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 175 lb (79 kg) North Carolina
G 27 United States Stacom, Kevin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Providence
G 10 United States White, Jo Jo 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Kansas
F 12 United States Wicks, Sidney 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) UCLA
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: {{{access-date}}}

Regular season

The Celtics started the season 4-0 (with their first two games entering overtime, as well having another overtime game during their sixth game of the season), but Wicks and Rowe had trouble fitting in with Celtic coach Tom Heinsohn's system, and the team played .500 ball for most of the season. Charlie Scott suffered a broken foot and only played 31 games, which meant Havlicek had to log more minutes, primarily at off-guard. Depth was a problem for the Celtics, as backup center Jim Ard was the only reliable reserve. Havlicek, White, and Cowens carried most of the scoring load for the team all season.

Season standings
Atlantic Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Philadelphia 76ers 5032.610–32–918–2311–5
x-Boston Celtics 4438.537628–1316–259–7
New York Knicks 4042.4881026–1514–278–8
Buffalo Braves 3052.3662023–187–346–10
New York Nets 2260.2682810–3112–296–10
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Philadelphia 76ers5032.610–
2 y-Houston Rockets4933.5981
3 x-Washington Bullets4834.5852
4 x-Boston Celtics4438.5376
5 x-San Antonio Spurs4438.5376
6 x-Cleveland Cavaliers4339.5247
7 New York Knicks4042.48810
8 New Orleans Jazz3547.42715
9 Atlanta Hawks3151.37819
10 Buffalo Braves3052.36620
11 New York Nets2260.26828

Record vs. opponents
1976–77 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS BUF CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NOJ NYK NYN PHI PHO POR SAS SEA WAS
Atlanta –0–44–02–22–22–20–40–41–30–41–22–22–21–31–33–11–30–43–14–01–21–3
Boston 4–0–3–12–21–33–12–21–32–21–23–12–13–12–22–23–11–32–21–34–02–20–4
Buffalo 0–41–3–1–32–22–23–10–31–31–30–31–33–13–11–32–22–23–11–30–43–10–4
Chicago 2–22–23–1–3–11–32–22–21–32–22–23–13–14–02–22–12–22–20–43–12–21–2
Cleveland 2–23–12–21–3–2–21–32–21–32–13–12–24–02–22–23–11–32–12–22–23–11–3
Denver 2–21–32–23–12–2–3–12–23–03–13–12–23–13–12–23–11–33–12–21–24–02–2
Detroit 4–02–21–32–23–11–3–3–12–22–24–01–33–13–11–23–12–22–22–21–21–31–3
Golden State 4–03–13–02–22–22–21–3–2–14–01–32–21–31–31–33–13–14–01–32–21–33–1
Houston 3–12–23–13–13–10–32–21–2–4–02–22–23–12–22–22–21–33–13–12–23–13–1
Indiana 4–02–13–12–21–21–32–20–40–4–2–21–32–22–22–24–02–22–20–42–22–20–4
Kansas City 2–11–33–02–21–31–30–43–12–22–2–1–32–22–24–04–01–33–12–21–31–32–2
Los Angeles 2–21–23–11–32–22–23–12–22–23–13–1–3–13–01–34–02–23–13–13–13–14–0
Milwaukee 2–21–31–31–30–41–31–33–11–32–22–21–3–1–21–33–11–21–32–23–11–31–3
New Orleans 3–12–21–30–42–21–31–33–12–22–22–20–32–1–3–12–20–43–12–21–31–32–2
N.Y. Knicks 3–12–23–12–22–22–22–13–12–22–20–43–13–11–3–2–21–32–21–31–31–22–2
N.Y. Nets 1–31–32–21–21–31–31–31–32–20–40–40–41–32–22–2–1–32–20–31–31–31–3
Philadelphia 3–13–12–22–23–13–12–21–33–12–23–12–22–14–03–13–1–1–22–21–32–23–1
Phoenix 4–02–21–32–21–21–32–20–41–32–21–31–33–11–32–22–22–1–1–31–33–11–3
Portland 1–33–13–14–02–22–22–23–11–34–02–21–32–22–23–13–02–23–1–2–23–11–2
San Antonio 0–40–44–01–32–22–12–12–22–22–23–11–31–33–13–13–13–13–12–2–3–12–2
Seattle 2–12–21–32–21–30–43–13–11–32–23–11–33–13–12–13–12–21–31–31–3–3–1
Washington 3–14–04–02–13–12–23–11–31–34–02–20–43–12–22–23–11–33–12–12–21–3—

Playoffs
1977 playoff game log
First Round: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 April 12 San Antonio W 104–94 Jo Jo White (24) Dave Cowens (13) Dave Cowens (7) Boston Garden
13,505		 1–0
2 April 15 @ San Antonio W 113–109 Jo Jo White (38) Sidney Wicks (12) Cowens, Havlicek (9) HemisFair Arena
12,067		 2–0
Conference semifinals: 3–4 (home: 2–1; road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 April 17 @ Philadelphia W 113–111 Charlie Scott (22) Dave Cowens (15) Charlie Scott (8) Spectrum
13,821		 1–0
2 April 20 @ Philadelphia L 101–113 John Havlicek (31) Dave Cowens (15) Jo Jo White (7) Spectrum
18,276		 1–1
3 April 22 Philadelphia L 100–109 John Havlicek (25) Wicks, Cowens (8) Jo Jo White (7) Boston Garden
15,040		 1–2
4 April 24 Philadelphia W 124–119 Dave Cowens (37) Dave Cowens (21) John Havlicek (15) Boston Garden
15,040		 2–2
5 April 27 @ Philadelphia L 91–110 Charlie Scott (20) Curtis Rowe (16) Jo Jo White (7) Spectrum
18,276		 2–3
6 April 29 Philadelphia W 113–108 Jo Jo White (40) Dave Cowens (19) John Havlicek (6) Boston Garden
15,040		 3–3
7 May 1 @ Philadelphia L 77–83 Jo Jo White (17) Dave Cowens (27) Charlie Scott (6) Spectrum
18,276		 3–4
1977 schedule

References
  1. "Norm Cook Stats".
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