Boston Celtics: The 3 best NBA Finals of Bill Russell’s legendary career

The second Bill Russell stepped onto the basketball court in a Boston Celtics jersey, he revolutionized the franchise for the better.

Throughout his 13-year career in Beantown from the late 1950s to the late 1960s, the Celtics formed a formidable dynasty that is still remembered to this day.

Winning a title is no easy feat, but doing it 11 times (including eight straight!) over 13 years was thought to be impossible until the ball club made it a reality, with Russell being at the forefront.

Russell appeared in 12 NBA Finals, which he rounded out with an average of 16.4 points and 24.5 rebounds on 45.6 percent shooting from the field when his playing career was all said and done.

Even though each championship round saw the legendary big man create significant moments, there were series in which he dominated on both ends of the court with opponents having no answer to his willpower.

To honor the late Boston Celtics icon, we at the Houdini discuss 3 NBA Finals series where he arguably performed at his best:

1962 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers

The 1962 NBA Finals saw the Boston Celtics go through a hard-fought seven-game series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

LA boasted the dynamic duo of Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, who combined for 71.7 of the team’s 113.6 points per game across the series.

Luckily for the Celtics, they countered the elite offensive tandem with their own core of Russell, Sam Jones, Tom Heinsohn, Bob Cousy, and Tom Sanders.

Russell was the defining factor in this series, averaging 22.9 points and 27 rebounds in 48.3 minutes per game (all team-highs).

And who could forget his iconic performance in Game 7?

With Boston needing a crucial win for the title, Russell came through in a game that will never be forgotten.

Truly relentless in scoring the basketball and attacking the boards, the big put up an astounding double-double of 30 points and 40 rebounds. To this day, the rebounding stat line stands as an NBA Finals record.

Russell refused to take a break on the bench as he willed Boston to their fourth straight championship (fifth overall at the time) and left an unforgettable memory in the hearts of many basketball fans alike.

1963 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers

In a rematch with the Lakers after winning in 1962, the Celtics knew their rivals were looking for payback from that series.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, Boston kept it to business as usual by winning in six games. As this series would be Bob Cousy’s last Finals, the Celtics made sure to let him end his career with them on a high note.

Russell, in particular, assured Boston its fifth consecutive title (sixth overall) by averaging 20 points, a series-high 26 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 46.7 percent from the field.

To close out the series in the decisive 112-109 victory in Game 6, Russell put up 12 points, a game-high 24 rebounds, and nine assists while playing all 48 minutes. This was all despite Jerry West and Elgin Baylor’s commendable efforts for the Lakers, as the duo combined for 60 points on 24-of-48 shooting.

Giving Cousy one last ring to celebrate, who dropped 18 points, seven assists, and three rebounds in his final game as a Celtic, Russell and the squad set out to continue their dominance in the NBA for the rest of the 1960s.

1966 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers

1966 was quite a significant year for both Russell and the Celtics.

This was slated to be Red Auerbach’s last year as the head coach, and what better way for Russell and the team to send his coaching career into the sunset than to beat the Lakers for another championship?

The series, however, could arguably be one of the hardest titles Boston won throughout its dynasty. The Lakers, having been heavily battle-tested after multiple championship matchups with the Celtics, took the series to seven games after initially going down 3-1 as Jerry West and Elgin Baylor refused to let LA go down without a fight.

The duo put together 58.9 points, 21.4 rebounds, and 7.4 assists a night throughout, including a 41-point game from Baylor in Game 5 and a 32-piece from West the following game to keep Boston on its toes.

Game 7 turned out to be the most defensive game of the series, as both teams failed to reach the 100-point mark while shooting under 40 percent.

Russell, who averaged a whopping 23.6 points and 24.3 rebounds on 53.8 percent shooting throughout the series, was not fazed as he came through for Boston on both ends of the court.

He had an amazing double-double performance of 25 points and 32 rebounds on 10-of-22 shooting while fending off a 33-19 run from the Lakers in the fourth quarter and a 36-point, 10-rebound performance from West to help the Celtics escape with the 95-93 victory and their eighth straight title (ninth overall).

To finish what Auerbach started after he retired, Russell became the Celtics’ head coach for what would be the last three years of his playing career.

Winning two more titles in 1968 and 1969 against the Lakers, Russell achieved three milestones: becoming the first black coach to win an NBA Championship, being the first player-coach in NBA history, and having the C’s win a Game 7 on the road in 1969 for the first time.

The way Russell changed the game of basketball and the trajectory of this Boston Celtics franchise will always be remembered. May he rest in peace!