Red Auerbach, the Celtics’ all-time winningest coach, led the team to their first NBA championship in 1957.
The Celtics are among the most storied franchises in NBA history and have had some of the game’s best coaches on their bench throughout the years. Below, we will unpack the coaches who have coached the most games with the Celtics.
Red Auerbach: 1,192 games (1951-66)
Auerbach is rightly credited for helping the Celtics establish themselves as one of the league’s preeminent franchises. The Celtics had been coached by John Russell and Alvin Julian over their first four years of existence, but with underwhelming results. In came Auerbach, who set the course for nine titles over a 16-year period. In fact, Auerbach led the Celtics to championships in each of his final eight seasons as the coach. His nine championships rank second all-time behind only Phil Jackson (11).
Doc Rivers: 721 games (2005-13)
When Rivers took over, the Celtics were in the midst of the longest title drought in franchise history. The team hadn’t taken home the crown since 1986, and pressure was mounting for the Celtics to get back to their winning ways. Rivers, fresh off a successful stint as the Magic’s head coach, came to Boston and got things turned around. Although, the path to success was anything but linear. In Rivers’ third season as the Celtics’ head coach, the team went 24-58. The next year? Boston, aided by the Big 3 of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, returned the Celtics to glory the following season. Rivers would coach the Celtics to another Finals appearance in 2010. After nine seasons with Boston, he ultimately left in the 2014 season to coach the Clippers.
Tom Heinsohn: 690 games (1970-78)
Heinsohn had a stellar playing career with the Celtics in the 1950s and 60s as part of eight championship teams. However, he wanted to try his hand at coaching after hanging up his sneakers and took over on the Celtics bench in 1970. It took him two years to get things on track before delivering the Celtics to six consecutive playoff appearances and two NBA Championships. He is one of four Celtics coaches with multiple titles in Boston.
Brad Stevens: 636 games (2014-21)
Though Stevens never coached the Celtics to a championship, he is regarded as one of the best coaches in franchise history and the architect of the team’s recent runs to the Finals. He took over following an impressive tenure coaching Butler in the NCAA. Stevens had to endure a tough first season (25-57) before things started to fall into place. He then led the Celtics to the playoffs in each of his next seven seasons, including three trips to the Eastern Conference Finals. Stevens is now in the Celtics’ front office as the president of basketball operations.
K.C. Jones: 410 Games (1984-88)
The 1980s NBA was largely dominated by the Celtics-Lakers rivalry as they met in the Finals three times and combined for 13 Finals appearances in the decade. Jones was a major factor in that era of Celtics basketball, helping Boston get to the Finals in each of his first four seasons. The Celtics took home two titles under Jones, and he still stands as one of the great coaches in franchise history despite his shorter tenure.
