1984–85 Boston Celtics season
NBA basketball team season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1984–85 Boston Celtics season was the 39th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics entered the season as the defending NBA Champions, coming off an NBA Finals victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games, and increasing their NBA Finals victories over the Lakers to 8.
On March 3, 1985, Kevin McHale surpassed Larry Bird 's Celtics single game scoring record when he netted 56 points against the Detroit Pistons .[ 1] Less than two weeks later, on March 12, Bird answered, scoring a career-high 60 points against the Atlanta Hawks .
In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the First Round in four games, the Detroit Pistons in the Semi-finals in six games, and the Philadelphia 76ers in the conference finals in five games to advance to the NBA Finals . In the Finals, they faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers , the team who they beat in last season's NBA Finals in seven games, and have beaten a total of 8 consecutive times in their NBA Finals matchups. However, the Celtics were defeated in six games by the Lakers, marking the first time the Celtics were defeated by the Lakers in the NBA Finals. This also marked the first time the Celtics lost the NBA Finals at home.
Trivia
A majority of this team moved onto coaching later in their careers. Kevin McHale , Rick Carlisle , Larry Bird , Danny Ainge , Dennis Johnson , and Sam Vincent have all coached in the NBA.[ 2] [ 3]
Draft picks
Roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
G/F
44
Ainge, Danny
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
BYU
F
33
Bird, Larry
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Indiana State
G
28
Buckner, Quinn
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Indiana
G
34
Carlisle, Rick
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Virginia
G/F
30
Carr, M.L.
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Guilford
G
40
Clark, Carlos
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Mississippi
G
3
Johnson, Dennis
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Pepperdine
C
50
Kite, Greg
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
250 lb (113 kg)
BYU
F
31
Maxwell, Cedric
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Charlotte
F/C
32
McHale, Kevin
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Minnesota
C
00
Parish, Robert
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
Centenary
G/F
8
Wedman, Scott
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Colorado
G
20
Williams, Ray
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
188 lb (85 kg)
Minnesota
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Roster
[ 4]
Regular season
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
1984-85 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
KCK
LAC
LAL
MIL
NJN
NYK
PHI
PHO
POR
SAS
SEA
UTA
WAS
Atlanta
–
1–4
3–3
3–3
0–2
0–2
1–5
2–0
0–2
6–0
0–2
2–0
0–2
2–4
3–3
3–3
0–5
2–0
0–2
0–2
1–1
2–0
3–3
Boston
4–1
–
4–2
6–0
2–0
1–1
4–2
2–0
2–0
5–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–4
5–1
6–0
3–3
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
5–1
Chicago
3–3
2–4
–
2–4
2–0
1–1
3–3
1–1
0–2
2–4
2–0
2–0
1–1
3–3
2–4
4–2
0–5
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
3–2
Cleveland
3–3
0–6
4–2
–
1–1
0–2
1–4
1–1
0–2
4–2
2–0
2–0
0–2
1–5
2–3
3–3
4–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–3
Dallas
2–0
0–2
0–2
1–1
–
2–4
0–2
4–1
2–4
2–0
5–1
3–2
1–4
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–3
4–1
4–2
5–0
1–5
1–1
Denver
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
4–2
–
0–2
5–0
2–4
2–0
4–2
2–3
2–3
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
4–1
4–1
3–3
3–2
4–2
2–0
Detroit
5–1
2–4
3–3
4–1
2–0
2–0
–
2–0
1–1
6–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–3
1–5
3–2
1–5
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
3–3
Golden State
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–4
0–5
0–2
–
2–3
0–2
2–3
2–4
1–5
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
2–4
2–4
1–4
3–3
1–4
1–1
Houston
2–0
0–2
2–0
2–0
4–2
4–2
1–1
3–2
–
1–1
5–1
2–3
1–4
0–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
4–1
3–2
4–2
3–2
3–3
0–2
Indiana
0–6
1–5
4–2
2–4
0–2
0–2
0–6
2–0
1–1
–
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–5
2–3
2–4
1–5
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–4
Kansas City
2–0
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–5
2–4
1–1
3–2
1–5
1–1
–
3–2
0–5
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–3
3–2
2–4
3–2
2–4
1–1
L.A. Clippers
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–3
3–2
1–1
4–2
3–2
2–0
2–3
–
0–6
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
4–2
1–5
2–3
2–4
3–2
1–1
L.A. Lakers
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
4–1
3–2
1–1
5–1
4–1
1–1
5–0
6–0
–
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
5–1
5–1
3–2
3–3
4–1
1–1
Milwaukee
4–2
4–1
3–3
5–1
1–1
1–1
3–3
2–0
2–0
5–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
–
3–3
5–0
3–3
1–1
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
4–2
New Jersey
3–3
1–5
4–2
3–2
1–1
0–2
5–1
1–1
1–1
3–2
0–2
2–0
0–2
3–3
–
6–0
2–4
1–1
0–2
0–2
2–0
0–2
4–2
New York
3–3
0–6
2–4
3–3
0–2
1–1
2–3
1–1
0–2
4–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–5
0–6
–
2–4
0–2
0–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–6
Philadelphia
5–0
3–3
5–0
2–4
1–1
1–1
5–1
2–0
1–1
5–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
3–3
4–2
4–2
–
2–0
2–0
1–1
2–0
2–0
4–2
Phoenix
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
3–2
1–4
0–2
4–2
1–4
2–0
3–2
2–4
1–5
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
–
3–3
1–4
5–1
3–2
1–1
Portland
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–4
1–4
1–1
4–2
2–3
2–0
2–3
5–1
1–5
0–2
2–0
2–0
0–2
3–3
–
3–2
4–2
3–2
1–1
San Antonio
2–0
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–4
3–3
1–1
4–1
2–4
1–1
4–2
3–2
2–3
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
4–1
2–3
–
4–1
1–5
0–2
Seattle
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–5
2–3
1–1
3–3
2–3
2–0
2–3
4–2
3–3
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–5
2–4
1–4
–
3–2
2–0
Utah
0–2
0–2
2–0
1–1
5–1
2–4
2–0
4–1
3–3
0–2
4–2
2–3
1–4
0–2
2–0
1–1
0–2
2–3
2–3
5–1
2–3
–
1–1
Washington
3–3
1–5
2–3
3–3
1–1
0–2
3–3
1–1
2–0
4–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–4
2–4
6–0
2–4
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
1–1
—
Game log
1984–85 game log Total: 63–19 (home: 35–6; road: 28–13)
October: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
November: 11–1 (home: 6–0; road: 5–1)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
3
November 2
Detroit
W 127–116
Bird (34)
Parish , Johnson (10)
Johnson (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
3–0
4
November 7
L.A. Clippers
W 135–108
Bird (31)
Bird (14)
Johnson (12)
Boston Garden 14,890
4–0
5
November 9
Philadelphia
W 130–119
Bird (42)
Maxwell , McHale (8)
Ainge (12)
Boston Garden 14,890
5–0
6
November 10
@ Washington
L 95–112
Bird (18)
Parish (10)
Ainge (4)
Capital Centre 14,395
5–1
7
November 12
@ Indiana
W 132–115
Bird (29)
Bird (9)
Ainge (9)
Market Square Arena 13,876
6–1
8
November 14
New York
W 115–99
Bird (29)
McHale (11)
Bird (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
7–1
9
November 15
@ Chicago
W 125–105
McHale (25)
Parish , Bird (17)
Johnson (7)
Chicago Stadium 17,753
8–1
10
November 21
Golden State
W 135–91
Parish (18)
McHale (8)
Johnson (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
9–1
11
November 23
Washington
W 118–110
Bird (29)
Bird (13)
Johnson (8)
Boston Garden 14,890
10–1
12
November 24
@ Kansas City
W 135–124
Parish (28)
Bird (13)
Bird (7)
Kemper Arena 17,341
11–1
13
November 27
@ Dallas
W 114–99
Bird (40)
McHale (12)
Bird (9)
Reunion Arena 17,007
12–1
14
November 28
@ Houston
W 110–100
Bird (23)
Parish (11)
Bird (9)
The Summit 16,016
13–1
December: 13–5 (home: 6–1; road: 7–4)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
15
December 1
@ Cleveland
W 110–104
Bird (34)
Parish (16)
Johnson (9)
Richfield Coliseum 12,503
14–1
16
December 2
Cleveland
W 122–99
Bird (23)
Maxwell (9)
Bird (5)
Boston Garden 14,890
15–1
17
December 4
@ Detroit
L 99–104
Johnson (25)
Bird (17)
Bird , Ainge (7)
Pontiac Silverdome 19,413
15–2
18
December 5
Denver
W 123–107
Parish (25)
Bird (12)
Johnson (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
16–2
19
December 8
@ New Jersey
W 107–98
Bird (37)
Parish (18)
Johnson (8)
Brendan Byrne Arena 15,581
17–2
20
December 9
Atlanta
W 128–127
Bird (48)
Bird (14)
Ainge (11)
Boston Garden 14,890
18–2
21
December 11
New Jersey
W 130–121
Bird (35)
Parish (11)
Bird , Johnson (10)
Hartford Civic Center 13,357
19–2
22
December 12
@ Philadelphia
L 107–110
Bird (34)
Parish (15)
Ainge (11)
The Spectrum 17,921
19–3
23
December 14
Utah
W 117–106
McHale (25)
Parish (17)
Johnson (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
20–3
24
December 15
@ Atlanta
W 101–94
Bird (23)
Parish (15)
Bird (6)
The Omni 11,808
21–3
25
December 18
@ New York
W 126–108
Bird (23)
Bird (15)
Johnson (12)
Madison Square Garden 16,798
22–3
26
December 19
Milwaukee
L 92–107
Bird , Johnson (18)
Bird (9)
Johnson , Ainge (4)
Boston Garden 14,890
22–4
27
December 21
Indiana
W 117–107
Bird (33)
Parish (9)
Bird (9)
Boston Garden 14,890
23–4
28
December 22
@ Chicago
L 85–110
Ainge (16)
Parish (11)
Ainge (5)
Chicago Stadium 14,414
23–5
29
December 26
@ Phoenix
W 119–114
Bird (34)
Bird (11)
Bird (10)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 14,660
24–5
30
December 27
@ L.A. Clippers
W 118–103
McHale (27)
Bird (13)
Bird (13)
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 15,371
25–5
31
December 29
@ San Antonio
W 120–112
McHale (26)
Bird (15)
Bird (10)
HemisFair Arena 15,180
26–5
32
December 30
@ Milwaukee
L 98–114
Bird , McHale (24)
Bird , Parish (14)
Ainge (7)
MECCA Arena 11,052
26–6
January: 11–3 (home: 8–1; road: 3–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
33
January 2
@ New Jersey
W 110–95
Bird (23)
Parish (13)
Bird (10)
Brendan Byrne Arena 14,496
27–6
34
January 4
New York
W 105–94
Bird (32)
Parish (12)
Johnson (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
28–6
35
January 7
@ New York
W 108–97
Bird (26)
Parish (11)
Johnson (12)
Madison Square Garden 14,600
29–6
36
January 9
Chicago
W 111–108
Bird (28)
Bird (11)
Johnson (6)
Boston Garden 14,890
30–6
37
January 11
Washington
W 103–101
Bird (33)
Parish (16)
Johnson (11)
Boston Garden 14,890
31–6
38
January 12
@ Atlanta
W 119–111
Ainge (25)
Parish (13)
Johnson (9)
The Omni 16,048
32–6
39
January 16
L.A. Lakers
W 104–102
Johnson (20)
Parish (13)
Ainge , Bird , Johnson (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
33–6
40
January 18
@ Indiana
L 86–91
Bird (25)
Bird (12)
Johnson (7)
Market Square Arena 16,920
33–7
41
January 20
Philadelphia
W 113–97
Bird (38)
Bird , McHale (9)
Johnson (9)
Boston Garden 14,890
34–7
42
January 23
Seattle
L 97–107
Bird (30)
Parish , McHale (8)
Bird (6)
Boston Garden 14,890
34–8
43
January 25
Indiana
W 125–94
Parish (27)
Bird (11)
Ainge (6)
Boston Garden 14,890
35–8
44
January 27
Portland
W 128–127
Bird (48)
Parish (12)
Johnson (10)
Boston Garden 14,890
36–8
45
January 29
Detroit
W 131–130
Bird (32)
Johnson (11)
Ainge (7)
Hartford Civic Center 15,685
37–8
46
January 30
@ Philadelphia
L 104–122
Johnson (20)
Parish (8)
Bird (8)
The Spectrum 17,921
37–9
February: 10–3 (home: 4–0; road: 6–3)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
47
February 1
Kansas City
W 142–123
Bird (38)
Bird (11)
Johnson (13)
Boston Garden 14,890
38–9
48
February 2
@ Washington
W 97–91
Bird (21)
Bird , Parish (12)
Bird , Johnson (8)
Capital Centre 19,105
39–9
49
February 5
@ Chicago
W 110–106
Bird (27)
Bird (9)
Bird , Johnson (7)
Chicago Stadium 18,061
40–9
50
February 6
Cleveland
W 113–108
Bird (26)
Parish , Bird (11)
Ainge (6)
Boston Garden 14,890
41–9
All-Star Break
51
February 12
@ Portland
L 103–111
Bird (25)
Bird (11)
Johnson (9)
Memorial Coliseum 12,666
41–10
52
February 14
@ Seattle
W 110–94
McHale (26)
Bird (13)
Johnson (10)
Kingdome 13,509
42–10
53
February 15
@ Golden State
W 107–100
Bird (30)
Parish (22)
Johnson , Ainge , Bird (7)
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 13,295
43–10
54
February 17
@ L.A. Lakers
L 111–117
Bird (33)
Bird (15)
Ainge , Johnson (10)
The Forum 17,505
43–11
55
February 18
@ Utah
W 110–94
Bird (30)
Bird (12)
Bird (10)
Salt Palace Acord Arena 12,716
44–11
56
February 20
@ Denver
L 129–132
Bird (40)
Bird , McHale (9)
Bird , Ainge (6)
McNichols Sports Arena 17,022
44–12
57
February 22
Chicago
W 115–105
Bird (34)
McHale , Parish (11)
Johnson (12)
Hartford Civic Center 15,685
45–12
58
February 24
@ Indiana
W 113–100
Bird (45)
Parish (17)
Johnson (12)
Market Square Arena 16,920
46–12
59
February 27
San Antonio
W 111–102
Bird (35)
Bird , McHale (14)
Ainge (12)
Boston Garden 14,890
47–12
March: 12–3 (home: 7–2; road: 5–1)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
60
March 1
Atlanta
L 105–114
Bird (34)
McHale (11)
Johnson (9)
Boston Garden 14,890
47–13
61
March 3
Detroit
W 138–129
McHale (56)
McHale (16)
Bird (10)
Boston Garden 14,890
48–13
62
March 5
@ New York
W 110–102
McHale (42)
Bird (19)
Bird (10)
Madison Square Garden 14,243
49–13
63
March 6
Chicago
L 104–107
Parish (26)
Parish (13)
Bird (10)
Boston Garden 14,890
49–14
64
March 8
Dallas
W 133–122
Bird (32)
Bird (15)
Bird (9)
Boston Garden 14,890
50–14
65
March 12
@ Atlanta
W 126–115
Bird (60)
Parish (19)
Johnson (17)
Lakefront Arena 10,079
51–14
66
March 13
Phoenix
W 123–106
Bird (31)
Parish (14)
Bird (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
52–14
67
March 15
@ Cleveland
W 119–96
Bird (35)
McHale (14)
Williams (6)
Richfield Coliseum 20,900
53–14
68
March 17
Houston
W 134–120
Bird (48)
Bird (15)
Bird , Buckner (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
54–14
69
March 20
Milwaukee
W 107–105
McHale (28)
Parish (19)
Bird (10)
Boston Garden 14,890
53–14
70
March 22
Cleveland
W 129–117
Bird (36)
Parish (11)
Bird (15)
Boston Garden 14,890
56–14
71
March 23
@ Washington
W 104–98
McHale (29)
Bird (12)
Bird (9)
Capital Centre 19,015
57–14
72
March 27
@ New Jersey
W 105–95
McHale (23)
McHale (16)
Williams (6)
Brendan Byrne Arena 18,333
58–14
73
March 29
Philadelphia
W 112–108
Bird (24)
McHale (13)
Johnson (8)
Boston Garden 14,890
59–14
74
March 31
@ Detroit
L 105–113
Wedman (31)
Parish (14)
Wedman (5)
Joe Louis Arena 22,136
59–15
April: 4–4 (home: 3–2; road: 1–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
75
April 2
@ Milwaukee
L 103–109
McHale (25)
McHale (12)
Johnson , Williams (7)
MECCA Arena 11,052
59–16
76
April 3
Indiana
W 119–103
Bird (35)
Parish (13)
Bird , Williams (6)
Boston Garden 14,890
60–16
77
April 5
Washington
W 115–104
Bird (26)
Bird (15)
Ainge (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
61–16
78
April 7
New York
W 114–102
Bird (38)
Parish (21)
Bird (10)
Boston Garden 14,890
62–16
79
April 9
@ Philadelphia
L 104–113
Wedman (24)
McHale (10)
Bird (9)
The Spectrum 17,921
62–17
80
April 11
@ Cleveland
W 121–115
Bird (29)
McHale (11)
Bird (12)
Richfield Coliseum 20,363
63–17
81
April 12
Milwaukee
L 113–115 (OT)
Bird (47)
Bird (14)
Williams (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
63–18
82
April 14
New Jersey
L 118–129
McHale , Bird (23)
Bird (7)
Johnson (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
63–19
1984–85 schedule
Playoffs
1985 playoff game log
First round: 3–1 (home: 2–0; road: 1–1)
Conference Semi-finals: 4–2 (home: 3–0; road: 1–2)
Conference finals: 4–1 (home: 3–0; road: 1–1)
NBA Finals: 2–4 (home: 1–2; road: 1–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Series
1
May 27, 1985 3:00 p.m. EDT
L.A. Lakers
W 148–114
McHale , Wedman (26)
McHale (9)
Johnson (10)
Boston Garden 14,890
1–0
2
May 30, 1985 9:00 p.m. EDT
L.A. Lakers
L 102–109
Bird (30)
Bird (12)
Johnson (8)
Boston Garden 14,890
1–1
3
June 2, 1985 3:30 p.m. EDT
@ L.A. Lakers
L 111–136
McHale (31)
McHale (10)
Ainge (10)
The Forum 17,505
1–2
4
June 5, 1985 9:00 p.m. EDT
@ L.A. Lakers
W 107–105
McHale (28)
McHale (12)
Johnson (12)
The Forum 17,505
2–2
5
June 7, 1985 9:00 p.m. EDT
@ L.A. Lakers
L 111–120
Parish (26)
McHale (10)
Johnson (17)
The Forum 17,505
2–3
6
June 9, 1985 1:00 p.m. EDT
L.A. Lakers
L 100–111
McHale (32)
McHale (16)
Ainge (11)
Boston Garden 14,890
2–4
1985 schedule
Player statistics
Regular season
* – Recorded statistics when playing for Boston
Awards and records
Transactions
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(February 2013 )
See also
References
Franchise Arenas Personnel G League affiliate Retired numbers NBA championships Rivalries Culture and lore
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