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. 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.http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-38-5/Friday-Bullets.html
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 24 Michael Young SF/SG Houston 2 47 Ronnie Williams Florida 3 70 Rick Carlisle G Virginia 4 93 Kevin Mullin Princeton 5 116 Todd Orlando Bentley 6 139 Steve Carfino G Iowa 7 162 Mark Van Valkenburg Framingham State 8 184 Champ Godboldt Holy Cross 9 206 Joe Dixon Merrimack 10 228 Dan Trant Clark
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
Game log
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | October 26 | @ Detroit | W 130–123 | Bird (33) | McHale (15) | Johnson (9) | Pontiac Silverdome27,563 | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | October 31 | New Jersey | W 116–105 | Bird (29) | McHale, Parish (15) | Bird (8) | Boston Garden14,890 | 2–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | November 2 | Detroit | W 127–116 | Bird (34) | Parish, Johnson (10) | Johnson (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 3–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | November 7 | L.A. Clippers | W 135–108 | Bird (31) | Bird (14) | Johnson (12) | Boston Garden14,890 | 4–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | November 9 | Philadelphia | W 130–119 | Bird (42) | Maxwell, McHale (8) | Ainge (12) | Boston Garden14,890 | 5–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | November 10 | @ Washington | L 95–112 | Bird (18) | Parish (10) | Ainge (4) | Capital Centre14,395 | 5–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | November 12 | @ Indiana | W 132–115 | Bird (29) | Bird (9) | Ainge (9) | Market Square Arena13,876 | 6–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | November 14 | New York | W 115–99 | Bird (29) | McHale (11) | Bird (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 7–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | November 15 | @ Chicago | W 125–105 | McHale (25) | Parish, Bird (17) | Johnson (7) | Chicago Stadium17,753 | 8–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 | November 21 | Golden State | W 135–91 | Parish (18) | McHale (8) | Johnson (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 9–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 23 | Washington | W 118–110 | Bird (29) | Bird (13) | Johnson (8) | Boston Garden14,890 | 10–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 12 | November 24 | @ Kansas City | W 135–124 | Parish (28) | Bird (13) | Bird (7) | Kemper Arena17,341 | 11–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 | November 27 | @ Dallas | W 114–99 | Bird (40) | McHale (12) | Bird (9) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 12–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 14 | November 28 | @ Houston | W 110–100 | Bird (23) | Parish (11) | Bird (9) | The Summit16,016 | 13–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | December 1 | @ Cleveland | W 110–104 | Bird (34) | Parish (16) | Johnson (9) | Richfield Coliseum12,503 | 14–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 | December 2 | Cleveland | W 122–99 | Bird (23) | Maxwell (9) | Bird (5) | Boston Garden14,890 | 15–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | December 4 | @ Detroit | L 99–104 | Johnson (25) | Bird (17) | Bird, Ainge (7) | Pontiac Silverdome19,413 | 15–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | December 5 | Denver | W 123–107 | Parish (25) | Bird (12) | Johnson (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 16–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 8 | @ New Jersey | W 107–98 | Bird (37) | Parish (18) | Johnson (8) | Brendan Byrne Arena15,581 | 17–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 | December 9 | Atlanta | W 128–127 | Bird (48) | Bird (14) | Ainge (11) | Boston Garden14,890 | 18–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 | December 11 | New Jersey | W 130–121 | Bird (35) | Parish (11) | Bird, Johnson (10) | Hartford Civic Center13,357 | 19–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 12 | @ Philadelphia | L 107–110 | Bird (34) | Parish (15) | Ainge (11) | The Spectrum17,921 | 19–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 14 | Utah | W 117–106 | McHale (25) | Parish (17) | Johnson (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 20–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 | December 15 | @ Atlanta | W 101–94 | Bird (23) | Parish (15) | Bird (6) | The Omni11,808 | 21–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 18 | @ New York | W 126–108 | Bird (23) | Bird (15) | Johnson (12) | Madison Square Garden16,798 | 22–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | December 19 | Milwaukee | L 92–107 | Bird, Johnson (18) | Bird (9) | Johnson, Ainge (4) | Boston Garden14,890 | 22–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 27 | December 21 | Indiana | W 117–107 | Bird (33) | Parish (9) | Bird (9) | Boston Garden14,890 | 23–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 | December 22 | @ Chicago | L 85–110 | Ainge (16) | Parish (11) | Ainge (5) | Chicago Stadium14,414 | 23–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | December 26 | @ Phoenix | W 119–114 | Bird (34) | Bird (11) | Bird (10) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum14,660 | 24–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | December 27 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 118–103 | McHale (27) | Bird (13) | Bird (13) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena15,371 | 25–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | December 29 | @ San Antonio | W 120–112 | McHale (26) | Bird (15) | Bird (10) | HemisFair Arena15,180 | 26–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | December 30 | @ Milwaukee | L 98–114 | Bird, McHale (24) | Bird, Parish (14) | Ainge (7) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 26–6
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 | January 2 | @ New Jersey | W 110–95 | Bird (23) | Parish (13) | Bird (10) | Brendan Byrne Arena14,496 | 27–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 | January 4 | New York | W 105–94 | Bird (32) | Parish (12) | Johnson (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 28–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 | January 7 | @ New York | W 108–97 | Bird (26) | Parish (11) | Johnson (12) | Madison Square Garden14,600 | 29–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 36 | January 9 | Chicago | W 111–108 | Bird (28) | Bird (11) | Johnson (6) | Boston Garden14,890 | 30–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 37 | January 11 | Washington | W 103–101 | Bird (33) | Parish (16) | Johnson (11) | Boston Garden14,890 | 31–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 38 | January 12 | @ Atlanta | W 119–111 | Ainge (25) | Parish (13) | Johnson (9) | The Omni16,048 | 32–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 | January 16 | L.A. Lakers | W 104–102 | Johnson (20) | Parish (13) | Ainge, Bird, Johnson (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 33–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 40 | January 18 | @ Indiana | L 86–91 | Bird (25) | Bird (12) | Johnson (7) | Market Square Arena16,920 | 33–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 41 | January 20 | Philadelphia | W 113–97 | Bird (38) | Bird, McHale (9) | Johnson (9) | Boston Garden14,890 | 34–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 42 | January 23 | Seattle | L 97–107 | Bird (30) | Parish, McHale (8) | Bird (6) | Boston Garden14,890 | 34–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 | January 25 | Indiana | W 125–94 | Parish (27) | Bird (11) | Ainge (6) | Boston Garden14,890 | 35–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 | January 27 | Portland | W 128–127 | Bird (48) | Parish (12) | Johnson (10) | Boston Garden14,890 | 36–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 | January 29 | Detroit | W 131–130 | Bird (32) | Johnson (11) | Ainge (7) | Hartford Civic Center15,685 | 37–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 | January 30 | @ Philadelphia | L 104–122 | Johnson (20) | Parish (8) | Bird (8) | The Spectrum17,921 | 37–9
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 | February 1 | Kansas City | W 142–123 | Bird (38) | Bird (11) | Johnson (13) | Boston Garden14,890 | 38–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 | February 2 | @ Washington | W 97–91 | Bird (21) | Bird, Parish (12) | Bird, Johnson (8) | Capital Centre19,105 | 39–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 49 | February 5 | @ Chicago | W 110–106 | Bird (27) | Bird (9) | Bird, Johnson (7) | Chicago Stadium18,061 | 40–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 50 | February 6 | Cleveland | W 113–108 | Bird (26) | Parish, Bird (11) | Ainge (6) | Boston Garden14,890 | 41–9 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 12 | @ Portland | L 103–111 | Bird (25) | Bird (11) | Johnson (9) | Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 41–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 52 | February 14 | @ Seattle | W 110–94 | McHale (26) | Bird (13) | Johnson (10) | Kingdome13,509 | 42–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 53 | February 15 | @ Golden State | W 107–100 | Bird (30) | Parish (22) | Johnson, Ainge, Bird (7) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena13,295 | 43–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 | February 17 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 111–117 | Bird (33) | Bird (15) | Ainge, Johnson (10) | The Forum17,505 | 43–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 55 | February 18 | @ Utah | W 110–94 | Bird (30) | Bird (12) | Bird (10) | Salt Palace Acord Arena12,716 | 44–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | February 20 | @ Denver | L 129–132 | Bird (40) | Bird, McHale (9) | Bird, Ainge (6) | McNichols Sports Arena17,022 | 44–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 57 | February 22 | Chicago | W 115–105 | Bird (34) | McHale, Parish (11) | Johnson (12) | Hartford Civic Center15,685 | 45–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 58 | February 24 | @ Indiana | W 113–100 | Bird (45) | Parish (17) | Johnson (12) | Market Square Arena16,920 | 46–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 59 | February 27 | San Antonio | W 111–102 | Bird (35) | Bird, McHale (14) | Ainge (12) | Boston Garden14,890 | 47–12
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 60 | March 1 | Atlanta | L 105–114 | Bird (34) | McHale (11) | Johnson (9) | Boston Garden14,890 | 47–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 61 | March 3 | Detroit | W 138–129 | McHale (56) | McHale (16) | Bird (10) | Boston Garden14,890 | 48–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 62 | March 5 | @ New York | W 110–102 | McHale (42) | Bird (19) | Bird (10) | Madison Square Garden14,243 | 49–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 63 | March 6 | Chicago | L 104–107 | Parish (26) | Parish (13) | Bird (10) | Boston Garden14,890 | 49–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 | March 8 | Dallas | W 133–122 | Bird (32) | Bird (15) | Bird (9) | Boston Garden14,890 | 50–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 65 | March 12 | @ Atlanta | W 126–115 | Bird (60) | Parish (19) | Johnson (17) | Lakefront Arena10,079 | 51–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 66 | March 13 | Phoenix | W 123–106 | Bird (31) | Parish (14) | Bird (7)