1956-57 - Celtics beat Hawks for First Championship
The season was to become the beginning of sports' most famous dynasty of all
times. Boston Celtics won their first of 11 championships and marked the
beginning of their 13-year reign. The Celtics had employed Bob Cousy, Bill
Sharman and Ed Macauley to score points, but still didn't have a good defense.
This was resoloved after the trade of Cliff Hagan for Bill Russell of San
Francisco, and high-scorer Tom Heinsohn of Holy Cross.
With these players and also Jim Loscutoff and Frank Ramsey, the Celtics could
prepare for a long domination period in the league. The offence including
Sharman (21.1 ppg) and Cousy (20.6) plus Russell leading the Celtics defense.
The team achieved a league-best 44-28 record, winning a seven-game series over
St. Louis in the Finals, the seventh game produced a winner (125-123) in double
overtime.
Game 7 of the Finals was historic. Not only because of its sheer excitement,
but because of the young Boston players who climbed the heights of their
athletic abilities in the fight for the championship. Bill Russell won 19 points
and 32 rebounds, and Heinsohn 37 points and 23 rebounds.
Auerbach said later that "The first title is always the greatest challenge ,
and it's also the greatest satisfaction. Everywhere I went that summer, I could
tell myself, `you are the coach of the world champions".
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