Celtics at the NBA Finals: last appearances, rings and championships lost and won
The Boston Celtics have earned a seat at the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, and the team has a long history of battling for the championship.
The 2022 NBA Finals will feature the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors- two teams that both have a long history of competing for the trophy.
Celtics vs. Warriors: Repeat NBA Finalists
The Celtics’ entire roster may have no championship experience, but they do come from a long tradition of being Eastern Conference title holders.
Boston in fact has the second-highest number of appearances at the NBA finals with 22, second only to the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers, who have a record of 32.
The Warriors are no strangers to the pressure of playing in the final round either- it’s their 12th time to go this far, and they currently have players who are veterans at going for the league’s top prize.
Out of their past 21 outings, the Celtics have won 17 rings for a win rate of 81%. Three of their losses were dealt by the Lakers, including Boston’s most recent Finals run in 2010, where the series went to the seventh game.
Here’s a full list of the Boston Celtics’ NBA Finals appearances.
| YEAR | TEAMS | SERIES TALLY |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Celtics defeat St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 |
| 1958 | St. Louis Hawks defeat Celtics | 4-2 |
| 1959 | Celtics defeat Minneapolis Lakers | 4-2 |
| 1960 | Celtics defeat St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 |
| 1961 | Celtics defeat St. Louis Hawks | 4-1 |
| 1962 | Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1963 | Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 |
| 1964 | Celtics defeat San Francisco Warriors | 4-1 |
| 1965 | Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 |
| 1966 | Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1968 | Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 |
| 1969 | Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1974 | Celtics defeat Milwaukee Bucks | 4-3 |
| 1976 | Celtics defeat Phoenix Suns | 4-2 |
| 1981 | Celtics defeat Houston Rockets | 4-2 |
| 1984 | Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1985 | Los Angeles Lakers defeat Celtics | 4-2 |
| 1986 | Celtics defeat Houston Rockets | 4-2 |
| 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers defeat Celtics | 4-2 |
| 2008 | Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 |
| 2010 | Los Angeles Lakers defeat Celtics | 4-3 |
| 2022 | Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors |