1990–91 Boston Celtics season

1990–91 Boston Celtics season
Atlantic Division Champions
Head coach	Chris Ford
Owner(s)	Don Gaston, Alan N. Cohen, Paul Dupee
Arena	Boston Garden Hartford Civic Center
Results
Record	56–26 (.683)
Place	Division: 1st (Atlantic) Conference: 2nd (Eastern)
Playoff finish	East Conference Semifinals (eliminated 2-4)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	SportsChannel New England, WFXT, WTXX, WTIC-TV
Radio	WHDH, WTIC Radio

The 1990–91 Boston Celtics season was the 45th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA).^[1] After failing to advance past the first round in the two previous seasons, it appeared going into the 90-91 season that the Celtics were fading as NBA title contenders. However, the Celtics burst to a 29-5 start reminiscent of their title years of the 1980s and once again established themselves as contenders. Besides general team improvement (and perhaps the chemistry employed by new head coach Chris Ford), the Celtics were helped by the return of 1988 first round draft pick Brian Shaw (who had played in Italy in the 89-90 season). Beginning in January, Larry Bird began to miss significant playing time due to back injuries (Bird would miss 22 regular season games) and the team struggled in his absence. The team limped to the finish, losing 6 of their final 8 games to finish at 56-26 (still good for the Atlantic Division title and #2 seed in the East).

In the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the Celtics survived a scare from the #7 seed Indiana Pacers, going the full five games before winning a classic finale (in which Bird went to the locker room during the game with injury, only to return and finish with 32 points). In the eastern semis, the Celtics held home court advantage against the 2-time defending NBA Champion Detroit Pistons, but Bird missed game 1 with injury and the Pistons took the game at Boston Garden. Bird returned for the remainder of the series and the Celtics rallied to win games 2 and 3 (game 3 a blowout win in Detroit), but Detroit won 3 in a row afterwards to take the series.

Draft picks

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	19	Dee Brown	SG/PG	United States	Jacksonville

Roster

Boston Celtics roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From PF 33 Bird, Larry 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Indiana State PG 7 Brown, Dee 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Jacksonville SF 34 Gamble, Kevin 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Iowa C 53 Kleine, Joe 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Arkansas SG 35 Lewis, Reggie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Northeastern PF 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 (Louisiana) PF 54 Pinckney, Ed 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Villanova PF 42 Popson, Dave 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) North Carolina PG 20 Shaw, Brian 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) UC Santa Barbara PG 13 Smith, Charles E. 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Georgetown SG 43 Smith, Derek 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Louisville PF 11 Smith, Mike 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Brigham Young C 52 Vranković, Stojko 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 260 lb (118 kg) PG 12 Wynder, A. J. 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Fairfield	Head coach Chris Ford (Villanova) Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Depth chart

PG-20 Brian Shaw SG-35 Reggie Lewis SF-34 Kevin Gamble PF-33 Larry Bird C-00 Robert Parrish

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Boston Celtics	56	26	.683	—	35–6	21–20	20-6
x-Philadelphia 76ers	44	38	.537	12	29-12	15-26	14-12
x-New York Knicks	39	43	.476	17	21-20	18-23	17–9
Washington Bullets	30	52	.366	26	21-20	9-32	10-16
New Jersey Nets	26	56	.317	30	20-21	6–35	8-18
Miami Heat	24	58	.293	32	18-23	6-35	9-17

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

#	Eastern Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	c-Chicago Bulls	61	21	.744	–
2	y-Boston Celtics	56	26	.683	5
3	x-Detroit Pistons	50	32	.610	11
4	x-Milwaukee Bucks	48	34	.585	13
5	x-Philadelphia 76ers	44	38	.537	17
6	x-Atlanta Hawks	43	39	.524	18
7	x-Indiana Pacers	41	41	.500	20
8	x-New York Knicks	39	43	.476	22
9	Cleveland Cavaliers	33	49	.402	28
10	Washington Bullets	30	52	.366	31
11	New Jersey Nets	26	56	.317	35
12	Charlotte Hornets	26	56	.317	35
13	Miami Heat	24	58	.293	37

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Game log

1990-91 Game Log
November Game Date Opponent Score Location Record 1 Fri. Nov. 2 Cleveland Cavaliers 125-101 Boston Garden 1-0 2 Sat. Nov. 3 @ New York Knicks 106-103 Madison Square Garden 2-0 3 Tue. Nov. 6 @ Chicago Bulls 110-108 Chicago Stadium 3-0 4 Fri. Nov. 9 Chicago Bulls 100-120 Boston Garden 3-1 5 Sat. Nov. 10 @ New Jersey Nets 105-91 Brendan Byrne Arena 4-1 6 Tue. Nov. 13 @ Milwaukee Bucks 91-119 Bradley Center 4-2 7 Wed. Nov. 14 Charlotte Hornets 135-126 Boston Garden 5-2 8 Fri. Nov. 16 Utah Jazz 114-89 Boston Garden 6-2 9 Sat. Nov. 17 @ Washington Bullets 102-90 Capital Centre 7-2 10 Wed. Nov. 21 Houston Rockets 108-95 Boston Garden 8-2 11 Fri. Nov. 23 Sacramento Kings 115-105 Boston Garden 9-2 12 Sat. Nov. 24 @ Cleveland Cavaliers 113-102 Richfield Coliseum 10-2 13 Mon. Nov. 26 Miami Heat 118-101 Hartford Civic Center 11-2 14 Fri. Nov. 30 Washington Bullets 123-95 Boston Garden 12-2
December Game Date Opponent Score Location Record 15 Sat. Dec. 1 @ Philadelphia 76ers 110-116 The Spectrum 12-3 16 Mon. Dec. 3 Seattle SuperSonics 135-102 Boston Garden 13-3 17 Wed. Dec. 5 Denver Nuggets 148-140 Boston Garden 14-3 18 Fri. Dec. 7 @ Dallas Mavericks 112-104 Reunion Arena 15-3 19 Sat. Dec. 8 @ San Antonio Spurs 96-102 HemisFair Arena 15-4 20 Mon. Dec. 10 @ Houston Rockets 107-95 The Summit 16-4 21 Wed. Dec. 12 Milwaukee Bucks 129-111 Boston Garden 17-4 22 Fri. Dec. 14 Detroit Pistons 108-100 Boston Garden 18-4 23 Sat. Dec. 15 @ Miami Heat 114-100 Miami Arena 19-4 24 Wed. Dec. 19 Philadelphia 76ers 115-105 Boston Garden 20-4 25 Thu. Dec. 20 @ Charlotte Hornets 115-96 Charlotte Coliseum 21-4 26 Sun. Dec. 23 Atlanta Hawks 132-104 Boston Garden 22-4 27 Wed. Dec. 26 Indiana Pacers 152-132 Boston Garden 23-4 28 Fri. Dec. 28 @ Atlanta Hawks 114-131 The Omni 23-5
January Game Date Opponent Score Location Record 29 Wed. Jan. 2 New York Knicks 113-86 Boston Garden 24-5 30 Fri. Jan. 4 Phoenix Suns 132-103 Boston Garden 25-5 31 Sun. Jan. 6 Dallas Mavericks 127-110 Boston Garden 26-5 32 Tue. Jan. 8 @ New York Knicks 101-87 Madison Square Garden 27-5 33 Wed. Jan. 9 Milwaukee Bucks 110-102 Boston Garden 28-5 34 Fri. Jan. 11 Los Angeles Clippers 109-107 Boston Garden 29-5 35 Sat. Jan. 12 @ Washington Bullets 99-116 Capital Centre 29-6 36 Wed. Jan. 16 Golden State Warriors 105-110 Boston Garden 29-7 37 Fri. Jan. 18 New Jersey Nets 106-111 Boston Garden 29-8 38 Mon. Jan. 21 @ Detroit Pistons 90-101 The Palace of Auburn Hills 29-9 39 Wed. Jan. 23 Detroit Pistons 111-94 Boston Garden 30-9 40 Fri. Jan. 25 @ Philadelphia 76ers 94-116 The Spectrum 30-10 41 Sun. Jan. 27 Los Angeles Lakers 87-104 Boston Garden 30-11 42 Mon. Jan. 28 @ Minnesota Timberwolves 108-87 Target Center 31-11 43 Wed. Jan. 30 Orlando Magic 144-102 Boston Garden 32-11
February Game Date Opponent Score Location Record 44 Fri. Feb. 1 @ Charlotte Hornets 91-92 Charlotte Coliseum 32-12 45 Sun. Feb. 3 Washington Bullets 119-101 Boston Garden 33-12 46 Wed. Feb. 6 Charlotte Hornets 133-117 Boston Garden 34-12 47 Thu. Feb. 7 @ New York Knicks 117-101 Madison Square Garden 35-12 48 Tue. Feb. 12 @ Seattle SuperSonics 114-111 Seattle Center Coliseum 36-12 49 Thu. Feb. 14 @ Golden State Warriors 128-112 Oakland Coliseum 37-12 50 Fri. Feb. 15 @ Los Angeles Lakers 98-85 The Forum 38-12 51 Sun. Feb. 17 @ Denver Nuggets 126-108 McNichols Sports Arena 39-12 52 Tue. Feb. 19 @ Phoenix Suns 105-109 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 39-13 53 Fri. Feb. 22 New Jersey Nets 111-99 Hartford Civic Center 40-13 54 Sun. Feb. 24 @ Indiana Pacers 109-115 Market Square Arena 40-14 55 Tue. Feb. 26 @ Chicago Bulls 99-129 Chicago Stadium 40-15 56 Wed. Feb. 27 Minnesota Timberwolves 116-111 Boston Garden 41-15
March Game Date Opponent Score Location Record 57 Fri. Mar. 1 San Antonio Spurs 108-98 Boston Garden 42-15 58 Sun. Mar. 3 Portland Trail Blazers 107-116 Boston Garden 42-16 59 Mon. Mar. 4 Indiana Pacers 126-101 Hartford Civic Center 43-16 60 Wed. Mar. 6 Miami Heat 126-117 Boston Garden 44-16 61 Fri. Mar. 8 @ Los Angeles Clippers 104-98 L.A. Sports Arena 45-16 62 Sun. Mar. 10 @ Portland Trail Blazers 111-109 (OT) Memorial Coliseum 46-16 63 Tue. Mar. 12 @ Sacramento Kings 110-95 ARCO Arena 47-16 64 Wed. Mar. 13 @ Utah Jazz 109-112 Salt Palace 47-17 65 Fri. Mar. 15 @ Washington Bullets 94-86 Capital Centre 48-17 66 Sun. Mar. 17 Philadelphia 76ers 110-105 Boston Garden 49-17 67 Tue. Mar. 19 @ Atlanta Hawks 92-104 The Omni 49-18 68 Wed. Mar. 20 Washington Bullets 102-81 Boston Garden 50-18 69 Fri. Mar. 22 @ Indiana Pacers 109-121 Market Square Arena 50-19 70 Thu. Mar. 28 @ Miami Heat 88-90 Miami Arena 50-20 71 Fri. Mar. 29 Cleveland Cavaliers 110-108 Boston Garden 51-20 72 Sun. Mar. 31 Chicago Bulls 135-132 (2OT) Boston Garden 52-20
April Game Date Opponent Score Location Record 73 Tue. Apr. 2 @ New Jersey Nets 94-77 Brendan Byrne Arena 53-20 74 Thu. Apr. 4 New Jersey Nets 123-104 Boston Garden 54-20 75 Sat. Apr. 6 @ Orlando Magic 98-102 Orlando Arena 54-21 76 Thu. Apr. 11 @ Milwaukee Bucks 92-111 Bradley Center 54-22 77 Fri. Apr. 12 Miami Heat 119-109 Boston Garden 55-22 78 Sun. Apr. 14 New York Knicks 115-102 Boston Garden 56-22 79 Tue. Apr. 16 @ Detroit Pistons 90-118 The Palace of Auburn Hills 56-23 80 Thu. Apr. 18 @ Philadelphia 76ers 97-122 The Spectrum 56-24 81 Fri. Apr. 19 @ Cleveland Cavaliers 117-124 (OT) Richfield Coliseum 56-25 82 Sun. Apr. 21 Atlanta Hawks 105-117 Boston Garden 56-26
1990-91 Schedule

Playoffs

1991 playoff game log
First Round: 3–2 (Home: 2–1; Road: 1–1) Game Date Time Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 26 Indiana Pacers W 127-120 R. Lewis (28) L. Bird (12) L. Bird (12) Boston Garden 14,890 1-0 2 April 28 Indiana Pacers L 118-130 R. Lewis, B. Shaw (22) R. Parish (12) L. Bird (10) Boston Garden 14,890 1-1 3 May 1 @ Indiana Pacers W 112-105 K. McHale (22) L. Bird (9) B. Shaw (7) Market Square Arena 16,530 2-1 4 May 3 @ Indiana Pacers L 113-116 K. McHale (24) R. Parish (12) L. Bird (8) Market Square Arena 16,530 2-2 5 May 5 Indiana Pacers W 124-121 L. Bird (32) L. Bird (9) B. Shaw (9) Boston Garden 14,890 3-2
East Semifinals: 2–4 (Home: 1–2; Road: 1–2) Game Date Time Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 May 7 Detroit Pistons L 75-86 R. Lewis (20) K. McHale (10) B. Shaw (5) Boston Garden 14,890 0-1 2 May 9 Detroit Pistons W 109-103 R. Lewis (23) R. Parish (13) D. Brown (8) Boston Garden 14,890 1-1 3 May 11 @ Detroit Pistons W 115-83 R. Lewis (21) R. Parish (11) D. Brown, K. McHale (6) The Palace of Auburn Hills 21,454 2-1 4 May 13 @ Detroit Pistons L 97-104 K. McHale (28) R. Parish (10) B. Shaw (6) The Palace of Auburn Hills 21,454 2-2 5 May 15 Detroit Pistons L 111-116 R. Lewis (30) R. Lewis (11) D. Brown (10) Boston Garden 14,890 2-3 6 May 17 @ Detroit Pistons L 113-117 (OT) K. McHale (34) E. Pinckney (9) R. Lewis (5) The Palace of Auburn Hills 21,454 2-4
1991 playoff schedule

Player statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Larry Bird	60	60	38.0	.454	.389	.891	8.5	7.2	1.8	1.0	19.4
Dee Brown	82	5	23.7	.464	.206	.873	2.2	4.2	1.0	0.2	8.7
Kevin Gamble	82	76	33.0	.587	.000	.815	3.3	3.1	1.2	0.4	15.6
Joe Kleine	72	1	11.8	.468	.000	.783	3.4	0.3	0.2	0.2	3.6
Reggie Lewis	79	79	36.4	.491	.077	.826	5.2	2.5	1.2	1.1	18.7
Kevin McHale	68	10	30.4	.553	.405	.829	7.1	1.9	0.4	2.1	18.4
Robert Parish	81	81	30.1	.598	.000	.767	10.6	0.8	0.8	1.3	14.9
Ed Pinckney	70	16	16.6	.539	.000	.897	4.9	0.6	0.9	0.6	5.2
Dave Popson	19	0	3.4	.406	.000	.900	0.7	0.1	0.1	0.1	1.8
Brian Shaw	79	79	35.1	.469	.111	.819	4.7	7.6	1.3	0.4	13.8
Charles E. Smith	5	0	6.0	.429	.000	.600	0.4	1.2	0.2	0.0	1.8
Derek Smith	2	0	8.0	.250	.000	.750	0.0	2.5	0.5	0.5	2.5
Michael Smith	47	3	8.3	.475	.250	.815	1.2	0.9	0.1	0.0	4.6
Stojko Vranković	31	0	5.4	.462	.000	.556	1.6	0.1	0.0	0.9	1.9
A. J. Wynder	6	0	6.5	.250	.000	.750	0.5	1.3	0.2	0.0	2.0

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Larry Bird	10	10	39.6	.408	.143	.863	7.2	6.5	1.3	0.3	17.1
Dee Brown	11	0	25.8	.491	.000	.824	4.1	3.7	1.0	0.5	12.2
Kevin Gamble	11	11	21.6	.483	.000	.667	1.2	1.7	0.4	0.2	6.0
Joe Kleine	5	1	6.2	.444	.000	.000	2.2	0.2	0.0	0.0	1.6
Reggie Lewis	11	11	42.0	.487	.000	.824	6.2	2.9	1.1	0.5	22.4
Kevin McHale	11	1	34.2	.527	.545	.825	6.5	1.8	0.5	1.3	20.7
Robert Parish	10	10	29.6	.598	.000	.689	9.2	0.6	0.8	0.7	15.8
Ed Pinckney	11	0	15.5	.762	.000	.810	3.6	0.2	0.5	0.2	4.5
Brian Shaw	11	11	28.7	.470	.333	.867	3.5	4.6	0.9	0.1	11.0
Derek Smith	10	0	8.6	.429	.000	.786	0.9	0.5	0.3	0.1	2.9
Michael Smith	2	0	3.0	.500	.000	.000	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	1.0
Stojko Vranković	1	0	4.0	1.000	.000	.000	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0

Awards and records

• Dee Brown, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team

Transactions

Players Added Draft Dee Brown Free agency Dave Popson (August 17, 1990; re-signed December 27, 1990) Stojko Vranković (October 2, 1990) Derek Smith (December 22, 1990) A. J. Wynder (April 12, 1991)

Players Lost Released Jim Paxson (October 6, 1990) Dave Popson (June, 1991) Free agency Gerald Paddio (September 27, 1990) (to Cleveland)

References

1. 1990-91 Boston Celtics

See also

• 1990–91 NBA season