1978–79 Boston Celtics season

NBA basketball team season August 2023 March 2026 February 2024 Boston Celtics 1979 29 53 Atlantic 5 10 Tom Sanders (fired) Dave Cowens Red Auerbach John Y. Brown Jr. Harry T. Mangurian Jr. Boston Garden Hartford Civic Center Did not qualify BOS WBZ-TV WBZ The 1978–79 Boston Celtics season was the 33rd season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the worst record of any Celtics team that played between 1950 and 1996. Prior to the season, owner Irv Levin swapped franchises with the Buffalo Braves ownership group led by John Y. Brown, Jr. Levin had wanted to have a team in his native California, but knew the other league owners would not consider a move of the Celtics. He therefore brokered a deal with Brown to swap franchises, and then moved the Braves to San Diego to become the Clippers. In the meantime, a deal was brokered, without consulting team president Red Auerbach, to trade three players (Freeman Williams, Kevin Kunnert and Kermit Washington) to the Braves for Tiny Archibald, Billy Knight and Marvin Barnes. The move created a media firestorm for the team, as Kunnert and Washington were viewed as keys to future improvement, and Auerbach publicly stated that he was not consulted about the move. Brown would then trade three first-round draft picks for former Brave Bob McAdoo.https://www.nytimes.com/1979/02/12/archives/knicks-send-mcadoo-to-celtics-for-3-picks-came-here-in-1976-mcadoo.html Knicks Send McAdoo To Celtics for 3 Picks Sam Goldaper The New York Times February 12, 1979 February 8, 2024 Auerbach again was not consulted, and he almost took a job with the rival New York Knicks because of it. By the start of the season, between trades and the retirement of team captain John Havlicek, only six players remained from the 1977–78 team, including the starting front three of Dave Cowens, Cedric Maxwell and Curtis Rowe, shooting guard Jo Jo White and backup point guards Don Chaney and Kevin Stacom. Team depth issues were worsened when first round draft pick Larry Bird decided to remain in college for the season. Following the season, Brown would sell his portion of the team to partner Harry T. Mangurian, Jr. Brown would subsequently be elected Governor of his native Kentucky later that year. This was the last time the Celtics would miss the playoffs until the 1993-94 season. 2 Draft picks 1978 NBA draft Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 6 Larry Bird SF/PF United States Indiana State 2 30 Jeff Judkins SF United States Utah Roster Boston Celtics 1978–79 7 Nate Archibald G 6 1 150 UTEP 12 Don Chaney G 6 5 210 Houston 18 Dave Cowens C 6 9 230 Florida State 42 Chris Ford G 6 5 190 Villanova 32 Jeff Judkins F 6 6 185 Utah 31 Cedric Maxwell F 6 8 205 Charlotte 11 Bob McAdoo F/C 6 9 210 North Carolina 53 Rick Robey C 6 11 230 Kentucky 41 Curtis Rowe F 6 7 225 UCLA 45 Frankie Sanders F 6 6 200 Southern 27 Kevin Stacom G 6 3 185 Providence Tom Sanders (fired) Dave Cowens K. C. Jones Bob MacKinnon https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1979.html February 12, 1979 Regular season Season standings BOS BOS References Category:Boston Celtics seasons Boston Celtics Boston Celtics Boston Celtics Celtics Celtics