Editing Boston Celtics (section)

===1958–1969: Decade-long dynasty===
{{multiple image
|align=right
|direction=horizontal
|total_width=350
|image1 = Bill russell dribbling (cropped).jpg 
|caption1 = [[Bill Russell]] starred on 11 NBA title teams in 13 years as a Celtic
|image2 = Sam_Jones,_Boston_Celtics,_1969.jpg 
|caption2 = [[Sam Jones (basketball, born 1933)|Sam Jones]] played with the Celtics (1957–1969) winning 10 titles
}}
Following the acquisition of [[K.C. Jones]] in 1958, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last for more than a decade.<ref>[http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/boston/celtics.html Boston Celtics (1946&nbsp;– present)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513211811/http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/boston/celtics.html |date=May 13, 2012 }}, sportsecyclopedia.com. Retrieved October 9, 2008.</ref> In 1959, the Celtics won the NBA championship after sweeping the [[Minneapolis Lakers]], the first of their record eight consecutive championships.<ref>[http://www.nba.com/lakers/history/lakers_history_new.html Los Angeles Lakers History], nba.com/lakers. Retrieved January 13, 2005. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628184021/http://www.nba.com/lakers/history/lakers_history_new.html |date=June 28, 2011 }}</ref> During that time, the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals five times, starting an intense and often bitter rivalry that has spanned generations. In 1964, the Celtics became the first NBA team to have an all African-American starting lineup. On December 26, 1964, [[Willie Naulls]] replaced an injured Tom Heinsohn, joining [[Satch Sanders|Tom 'Satch' Sanders]], K.C. Jones, [[Sam Jones (basketball, born 1933)|Sam Jones]], and Bill Russell in the starting lineup. The Celtics defeated St. Louis 97–84. Boston won its next 11 games with Naulls starting in place of Heinsohn.<ref>[http://www.sportshistorytoday.com/celtics-start-black-team-december-26-1964/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102223034/http://www.sportshistorytoday.com/celtics-start-black-team-december-26-1964/|date=November 2, 2014}}., Retrieved November 2, 2014.</ref> The Celtics of the late 1950s–1960s are widely considered one of the most dominant teams of all time.<ref>{{cite news|last=Berube|first=Reagan|title=High Five|url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/BHM2004_HighFive.html|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Celtics.com|access-date=October 21, 2018|archive-date=June 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628184034/http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/BHM2004_HighFive.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Auerbach retired as coach after the 1965–66 season and Russell took over as player-coach, which was Auerbach's ploy to keep Russell interested.<ref>[http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=127 Celtics Coach Red Auerbach Retires] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021195310/http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=127 |date=October 21, 2011 }}, massmoments.org. Retrieved October 28, 2010.</ref> With his appointment Russell became the first African-American coach in any U.S. pro sport. Auerbach would remain the general manager, a position he would hold well into the 1980s. However, the Celtics' string of NBA titles ended when they lost to the [[Philadelphia 76ers]] in the 1967 Eastern Conference Finals. The aging team managed two more championships in 1968 and 1969, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers each time.<ref>[http://www.blinkbits.com/blinks/boston_celtics Discover the Wisdom of Mankind on Boston Celtics] blinkbits.com. Retrieved July 16, 2005. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060903042217/http://www.blinkbits.com/blinks/boston_celtics |date=September 3, 2006 }}</ref> Russell retired after the 1969 season, effectively ending a Celtics dynasty that had garnered an unrivaled 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons.<ref>[http://www.nba.com/heritageweek2007/powerrankings6970.html Heritage Week: Power Rankings, 1969–70] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628184050/http://www.nba.com/heritageweek2007/powerrankings6970.html |date=June 28, 2011 }} nba.com. Retrieved December 8, 2007.</ref> The team's run of 8 consecutive is the longest championship streak in U.S. professional sports history,<ref>[http://www.worldalmanac.com/blog/2007/01/unbreakable_sports_records.html "Unbreakable" Sports Records (The World Almanac)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802071249/http://www.worldalmanac.com/blog/2007/01/unbreakable_sports_records.html |date=August 2, 2009 }} worldalmanac.com. Retrieved April 13, 2007.</ref> with Russell's 11 titles being the [[List of NBA players with most championships|most won by an NBA player]].