Record 22–38 (.367) Start date 1946 | Playoff finish DNQ Head coach John Russell | |
Place Division: 5th (Eastern) People also search for 1947–48 Boston Celtics season | ||
The 1946–47 Boston Celtics season was the first season of the Boston Celtics in the Basketball Association of America (BAA/NBA). Walter A. Brown was the man who was responsible for starting the franchise. On an early June day in 1946, Brown, who operated the Boston Garden arena and was part of the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins, was the driving force behind the Basketball Association of America and the Celtics birth. After considering several team names, including Whirlwinds, Unicorns and Olympics, Brown opted for Celtics. He hoped to grab the attention of Boston's large Irish American population. John Davis "Honey" Russell was hired as the first Celtics coach, and the team soon began its inaugural season, losing its first game 59–53 to the Providence Steamrollers. Although the Celtics would eventually become the signature franchise of the NBA, the club had a lacklustre first season as they started with 0 wins and 5 losses. The Celtics won their first game of the season against the Toronto Huskies.
Regular season
On November 5, the Celtics played their first game at the Boston Garden in front of 4,329 fans. The game would be delayed an hour when the wooden backboard was damaged after a practice dunk during warm-ups. After the backboard was repaired, the Celtics lost to the Chicago Stags by a score 57–55.