1950-51 Boston Celtics
[edit] The Offseason
In 1950 a series of offseason events completely transformed the Boston Celtics. The NBA underwent a reorganization that reduced the league to 11 teams, with the best players from the six disbanded franchises distributed among the remaining teams. Boston hit the jackpot not once but twice. When the St. Louis Bombers folded, the New York Knicks tried to buy the franchise for $50,000 in order to acquire promising young center Ed Macauley. The league blocked the sale, however, and awarded Macauley to Boston in an effort to strengthen one of the weakest franchises in the circuit.
The second key acquisition was even more fortuitous. When the Chicago Stags called it quits, the franchise's players were distributed in a dispersal draft. Boston, New York, and Philadelphia were allowed to choose between a trio of guards: veterans Max Zaslofsky and Andy Phillip, and rookie Bob Cousy. None of the teams wanted the rookie, so the three names were thrown into a hat. Boston drew Cousy.
There were other new faces on the team as well. Red Auerbach, who had led the Washington Capitols to the BAA Finals two years earlier, took over as head coach. On April 25, 1950, the Boston Celtics drafted Duquesne star Charles Cooper, the first black player ever selected by an NBA team and one of three African-Americans to enter the league that year. (Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton went to the Knicks, and Earl Lloyd joined the Capitols.)
Auerbach had serious doubts about Cousy, but the 6-1 Holy Cross graduate instantly established himself as a star. No one had ever seen anything like the behind-the-back dribbling and no-look passes that Cousy brought to the game.
[edit] Regular-Season Highlights
In his 1950-51 debut season Cousy averaged 15.6 points and finished fourth in the league in assists with 4.9 per game. Teammate Ed Macauley added 20.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, while Cooper contributed 9.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest.
Auerbach encouraged the Celtics to play an up-tempo, fast-breaking game. The team led the league in assists in 1950-51 and ranked near the top in points per game. A 39-30 record was the franchise's first above the .500 mark.
[edit] NBA Playoffs
Boston was upset by New York in the first round of the playoffs as the Knicks swept the best-of-three series by an average of 14 points per game.
