2000–01 Boston Celtics season

Season of National Basketball Association team the Boston Celtics August 2023 March 2026 Boston Celtics 2001 36 46 atlantic 5 9 Rick Pitino Jim O'Brien (interim) Rick Pitino Paul Gaston Fleet Center Fox Sports Net New England WEEI Did not qualify BOS The 2000–01 Boston Celtics season was the 55th season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. Boston Celtics Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/ August 6, 2026 Season summary Off-season The Celtics received the eleventh overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft, and selected power forward Jérôme Moïso from the University of California, Los Angeles. Associated Press NBA Draft 2000: Nets Make Martin the Pick of the Litter ESPN June 29, 2000 https://www.espn.com/nba/draft00/s/2000/0628/608939.html November 9, 2024 White Lonnie Clippers Get Face Lift Los Angeles Times June 29, 2000 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jun-29-sp-46205-story.html November 9, 2024 2000 NBA Draft Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_2000.html November 9, 2024 During the off-season, the team acquired Bryant Stith, and second-year guard Chris Herren from the Denver Nuggets, Reuters Plus: Pro Basketball: Pack Trade to Nuggets Official The New York Times October 17, 2000 https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/17/sports/plus-pro-basketball-pack-trade-to-nuggets-official.html January 11, 2022 Associated Press Celtics, Nuggets Complete Four-Player Trade Los Angeles Times October 17, 2000 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-oct-17-sp-37663-story.html October 19, 2022 Gardner Kris Pack Returns to Nuggets The Houston Roundball Review October 29, 2000 https://www.thehrr.com/nba/trade_archive/'00-'01/2000_off-season/101600Pack,Herren_in_4_Player_deal.html November 8, 2024 and signed free agents Randy Brown, Celtics Sign Free Agent Randy Brown United Press International August 3, 2000 https://www.upi.com/Archives/2000/08/03/Celtics-sign-free-agent-Randy-Brown/5629965275200/ September 16, 2022 Chris Carr, second-year guard Milt Palacio, Wise Mike Pro Basketball: West Side Story, the Sequel The New York Times October 30, 2000 https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/30/sports/pro-basketball-west-side-story-the-sequel.html July 16, 2022 and rookie center Mark Blount. Regular season With the addition of Stith, the Celtics played around .500 in winning percentage in November, but then struggled as Kenny Anderson only played just 33 games due to an ankle injury and broken jaw, Anderson Activated by Celtics United Press International December 10, 2000 https://www.upi.com/Archives/2000/12/10/Anderson-activated-by-Celtics/9304976424400/ January 11, 2022 Associated Press NBA Notebook: Pitino Likely to Stick It Out New Haven Register December 24, 2000 https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/NBA-NOTEBOOKPitino-likely-to-stick-it-out-11714526.php October 25, 2022 and Tony Battie only played just 40 games due to an ankle injury. Associated Press NBA: Magic End Celtics' Home Dominance ESPN December 30, 2000 https://www.espn.com/nba/2001/20001230/recap/orlbos.html October 25, 2022 Around the NBA Chron January 2, 2001 https://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/Around-the-NBA-2005248.php June 23, 2022 With a 12–22 start to the regular season, a frustrated Rick Pitino resigned as head coach after three years with the Celtics. ESPN.com News Services NBA: Pitino Loses Reported $27M With Decision ESPN January 9, 2001 https://www.espn.com/nba/news/2001/0107/1000118.html November 8, 2024 Wise Mike Pro Basketball: No Miracles Forthcoming, Pitino Quits Celtics Job The New York Times January 9, 2001 https://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/09/sports/pro-basketball-no-miracles-forthcoming-pitino-quits-celtics-job.html March 15, 2017 Heisler Mark Pitino Signaled His Exit Long Ago Los Angeles Times January 9, 2001 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jan-09-sp-10141-story.html October 25, 2022 Under replacement Jim O'Brien, the team played around .500 basketball for the remainder of the season, posting a six-game winning streak between January and February, and holding a 22–27 record at the All-Star break. NBA Games Played on February 8, 2001 Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/?month=2&day=8&year=2001 October 18, 2025 However, the Celtics lost six of their final eight games of the season, finishing in fifth place in the Atlantic Division with a 36–46 record, and missing the NBA playoffs for the sixth consecutive year; 2000–01 Boston Celtics Schedule and Results Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/2001_games.html July 23, 2021 in the 39 years before the current streak, they had missed the playoffs only five times. Paul Pierce averaged 25.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, and contributed 147 three-point field goals, while Antoine Walker averaged 23.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and led the league with 221 three-point field goals. In addition, Stith contributed 9.7 points per game, while Anderson provided the team with 7.5 points, 4.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game, Vitaly Potapenko averaged 7.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, and Eric Williams contributed 6.6 points per game. Meanwhile, Battie provided with 6.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, Palacio averaged 5.9 points and 2.6 assists per game, Brown contributed 4.1 points and 2.9 assists per game, and Blount averaged 3.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. 2000–01 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/2001.html July 23, 2021 Pierce finished in 13th place in Most Valuable Player voting. MVP Voting Deseret News May 16, 2001 https://www.deseret.com/2001/5/16/19586534/mvp-voting/ December 5, 2024 2000-01 NBA Awards Voting Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2001.html December 5, 2024 The Celtics finished 19th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 629,201 at the FleetCenter during the regular season. 2000–01 NBA Season Summary Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2001.html January 25, 2026 Notable incidents Prior to the regular season, the Celtics were nearly hit with tragedy when Pierce was stabbed eleven times in the face, neck and back, and had a bottle smashed over his head, and was attacked by three men at the Buzz Club, a late night dance club in the Boston Theater District on September 25, 2000. Battie and his brother both saved Pierce by rushing him to a nearby hospital, where he had to undergo lung surgery to repair the damage. Williams Lena Pro Basketball: Nightclub Incident Leaves Celtic Recovering from Stab Wounds The New York Times September 26, 2000 https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/26/sports/pro-basketball-nightclub-incident-leaves-celtic-recovering-from-stab-wounds.html?n=Top%2FReference%2FTimes+Topics%2FPeople%2FP%2FPierce%2C+Paul November 26, 2022 Staff and Wire Reports Celtics' Pierce Stabbed in Nightclub Los Angeles Times September 26, 2000 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-26-sp-27014-story.html November 26, 2022 Greenberg Alan Pierce Attacked Hartford Courant September 26, 2000 https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2000-09-26-0009260369-story.html July 13, 2022 Nevertheless, Pierce was the only Celtic to start all 82 games during the 2000–01 season.http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/PaulPierce_BeyondTheGlory.html Celtics Star Paul Pierce Fights Back on Beyond the Glory | Celtics.com NBA.com March 12, 2022 Aftermath Following the season, Stith signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cavaliers Sign Bryant Stith United Press International August 13, 2001 https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/08/13/Cavaliers-sign-Bryant-Stith/1036997675200/ July 2, 2022 Brown Goes to Miami Orlando Sentinel August 14, 2001 https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2001/08/14/brown-goes-to-miami-2/ November 8, 2024 while second-year guard Adrian Griffin signed with the Dallas Mavericks, Mavericks Sign Adrian Griffin United Press International July 27, 2001 https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/07/27/Mavericks-sign-Adrian-Griffin/4932996206400/ October 19, 2022 Wise Mike PRO BASKETBALL; Jordan Against the New Generation, Lakers Against the World The New York Times October 30, 2001 https://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/30/sports/pro-basketball-jordan-against-the-new-generation-lakers-against-the-world.html October 25, 2022 and Carr was released to free agency. 2 Draft picks 2000 NBA draft Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 11 Jérôme Moïso PF UCLA Roster Boston Celtics 2000–01 #00703C white #C5B358 #000000 7 Kenny Anderson basketball G 6 0 168 1970–10–09 Georgia Tech 4 Tony Battie C 6 11 230 1976–02–11 Texas Tech 30 Mark Blount C 7 0 230 1975–11–30 Pittsburgh 11 Randy Brown basketball G 6 2 190 1968–05–22 New Mexico State 43 Chris Carr basketball G 6 5 207 1974–03–12 Southern Illinois 44 Adrian Griffin G 6 5 217 1974–07–04 Seton Hall 12 Chris Herren G 6 2 195 1975–09–27 Fresno State 0 Walter McCarty F/C 6 10 230 1974–02–01 Kentucky 5 Jerome Moiso C 6 10 240 1978–06–15 UCLA 9 Milt Palacio G 6 3 195 1978–02–07 Colorado State 34 Paul Pierce F 6 6 230 1977–10–13 Kansas 52 Vitaly Potapenko C 6 10 280 1975–03–21 Wright State 20 Bryant Stith G 6 5 208 1970–12–10 Virginia 8 Antoine Walker F 6 8 224 1976–08–12 Kentucky 55 Eric Williams basketball, born 1972 F 6 8 220 1972–07–17 Providence Rick Pitino Jim O’Brien (interim) John Carroll Lester Conner Jim O'Brien https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/2001.html January 10, 2001 Regular season Season standings BOS BOS Game log April 2013 Player statistics Regular season Boston Celtics |- | style="text-align:left;"|Kenny Anderson basketball | 33 || 28 || 25.7 || .388 || .333 || .831 || 2.2 || 4.1 || 1.3 || .1 || 7.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Tony Battie | 40 || 25 || 21.1 || .537 || .000 || .638 || 5.8 || .4 || .7 || 1.5 || 6.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Mark Blount | 64 || 50 || 17.2 || .505 || || .697 || 3.6 || .5 || .6 || 1.2 || 3.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Randy Brown basketball | 54 || 35 || 22.9 || .422 || .000 || .575 || 1.8 || 2.9 || 1.1 || .2 || 4.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Rick Brunson† | 7 || 0 || 20.3 || .286 || .182 || .444 || 1.3 || 3.4 || 1.0 || .1 || 3.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Chris Carr basketball | 35 || 0 || 8.8 || .473 || .459 || .767 || 1.3 || .3 || .1 || .1 || 4.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Adrian Griffin | 44 || 0 || 8.6 || .340 || .346 || .750 || 2.0 || .6 || .4 || .1 || 2.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Chris Herren | 25 || 7 || 16.3 || .302 || .291 || .750 || .8 || 2.2 || .6 || .0 || 3.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Walter McCarty | 60 || 3 || 8.0 || .357 || .339 || .786 || 1.4 || .7 || .2 || .1 || 2.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Jérôme Moïso | 24 || 0 || 5.6 || .400 || .000 || .423 || 1.8 || .1 || .1 || .2 || 1.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Doug Overton† | 7 || 1 || 20.6 || .341 || .250 || .636 || 2.1 || 2.7 || .6 || .0 || 5.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Milt Palacio | 58 || 6 || 19.7 || .472 || .333 || .848 || 1.8 || 2.6 || .8 || .0 || 5.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Paul Pierce | 82 || 82 || 38.0 || .454 || .383 || .745 || 6.4 || 3.1 || 1.7 || .8 || 25.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Vitaly Potapenko | 82 || 7 || 23.2 || .476 || || .728 || 6.0 || .8 || .6 || .3 || 7.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Bryant Stith | 78 || 74 || 32.1 || .401 || .376 || .845 || 3.6 || 2.2 || 1.2 || .2 || 9.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Antoine Walker | 81 || 81 || 41.9 || .413 || .367 || .716 || 8.9 || 5.5 || 1.7 || .6 || 23.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Eric Williams basketball, born 1972 | 81 || 11 || 21.5 || .362 || .331 || .714 || 2.6 || 1.4 || .8 || .2 || 6.6 |} † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Celtics only. Player statistics citation: See also 2000–01 NBA season Reebok Pro Summer League, a summer league hosted by the Celtics References Category:Boston Celtics seasons Boston Celtics Boston Celtics Boston Celtics Celtics Celtics