1982–83 Boston Celtics season

1982–83 Boston Celtics season
Head coachBill Fitch
General managerRed Auerbach
ArenaBoston Garden
Hartford Civic Center
Results
Record56–26 (.683)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Atlantic)
Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishConference semifinals
(lost to Bucks 0–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionPRISM New England, WBZ, WTXX
RadioWRKO, WTIC
< 1981–82 1983–84 >

The 1982–83 Boston Celtics season was the 37th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1]

On March 30, 1983, Larry Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, surpassing Sam Jones's Celtics single game scoring record set in 1965.[2] The team was swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in the conference semifinals, and coach Bill Fitch left his post as head coach following the season.

Ownership also changed hands following this season, with Harry T. Mangurian Jr. putting the team up for sale due to poor relations with the arena owners.

Draft picks

Main article: 1982 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 23 Darren Tillis C  United States Cleveland State
9 205 Panagiotis Giannakis PG  Greece Ionikos Nikaias

Roster

Boston Celtics roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G 44 Ainge, Danny 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 175 lb (79 kg) BYU
G 7 Archibald, Nate 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 150 lb (68 kg) UTEP
F 33 Bird, Larry 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Indiana State
G 35 Bradley, Charles 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Wyoming
G 28 Buckner, Quinn 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Indiana
F 30 Carr, M. L. 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Guilford
G 43 Henderson, Gerald 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) VCU
F 31 Maxwell, Cedric 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Charlotte
F 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
C 53 Robey, Rick 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Kentucky
F 20 Wedman, Scott 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Colorado
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Philadelphia 76ers 65 17 .793 – 35–6 30–11 15–9
x-Boston Celtics 56 26 .683 9 33–8 23–18 14–10
x-New Jersey Nets 49 33 .598 16 30–11 19–22 11–13
x-New York Knicks 44 38 .537 21 26–15 18–23 10–14
Washington Bullets 42 40 .512 23 27–14 15–26 10–14
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Philadelphia 76ers 65 17 .793 –
2 y-Milwaukee Bucks 51 31 .622 14
3 x-Boston Celtics 56 26 .683 9
4 x-New Jersey Nets 49 33 .598 16
5 x-New York Knicks 44 38 .537 21
6 x-Atlanta Hawks 43 39 .524 22
7 Washington Bullets 42 40 .512 23
8 Detroit Pistons 37 45 .451 28
9 Chicago Bulls 28 54 .341 37
10 Cleveland Cavaliers 23 59 .280 42
11 Indiana Pacers 20 62 .244 45
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1982-83 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NJN NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SDC SEA UTA WAS
Atlanta — 1–5 5–1 6–0 1–1 1–1 3–3 0–2 2–0 6–0 0–2 0–2 1–4 2–4 3–2 2–4 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 4–2
Boston 5–1 — 3–2 5–1 2–0 2–0 3–3 1–1 2–0 4–1 1–1 2–0 3–3 5–1 3–3 3–3 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 3–3
Chicago 1–5 2–3 — 5–1 1–1 1–1 2–4 2–0 1–1 4–2 0–2 0–2 1–5 2–4 1–4 1–5 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–5
Cleveland 0–6 1–5 1–5 — 2–0 0–2 1–5 2–0 2–0 5–1 1–1 0–2 1–5 0–6 1–5 0–5 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 3–2
Dallas 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 — 3–3 2–0 3–2 5–1 2–0 3–3 2–3 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–3 3–2 2–4 5–0 2–3 2–4 0–2
Denver 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 3–3 — 2–0 4–1 5–1 1–1 3–3 1–4 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 4–1 2–3 2–4 3–2 3–2 4–2 1–1
Detroit 3–3 3–3 4–2 5–1 0–2 0–2 — 2–0 2–0 4–2 0–2 0–2 3–3 3–2 1–5 0–6 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 3–2
Golden State 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–3 1–4 0–2 — 3–2 1–1 1–4 1–5 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–4 2–4 1–4 3–3 3–3 3–2 2–0
Houston 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–5 1–5 0–2 2–3 — 2–0 1–5 0–5 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–5 0–5 1–5 2–3 1–4 0–6 1–1
Indiana 0–6 1–4 2–4 1–5 0–2 1–1 2–4 1–1 0–2 — 1–1 0–2 1–5 0–6 3–3 1–4 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–5
Kansas City 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–3 3–3 2–0 4–1 5–1 1–1 — 1–4 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–4 2–3 3–3 4–1 1–4 4–2 2–0
Los Angeles 2–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 3–2 4–1 2–0 5–1 5–0 2–0 4–1 — 2–0 1–1 2–0 0–2 3–3 3–3 1–4 5–1 5–1 4–1 1–1
Milwaukee 4–1 3–3 5–1 5–1 2–0 0–2 3–3 1–1 2–0 5–1 1–1 0–2 — 3–2 4–2 1–5 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–0 3–2
New Jersey 4–2 1–5 4–2 6–0 2–0 1–1 2–3 2–0 1–1 6–0 1–1 1–1 2–3 — 4–2 3–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–2
New York 2–3 3–3 4–1 5–1 2–0 2–0 5–1 1–1 2–0 3–3 1–1 0–2 2–4 2–4 — 1–5 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–1 4–2
Philadelphia 4–2 3–3 5–1 5–0 2–0 2–0 6–0 2–0 2–0 4–1 2–0 2–0 5–1 3–3 5–1 — 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 4–2
Phoenix 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 3–2 1–4 1–1 4–2 5–0 1–1 4–1 3–3 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 — 5–1 3–2 4–2 5–1 5–0 0–2
Portland 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–3 3–2 1–1 4–2 5–0 2–0 3–2 3–3 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–5 — 2–3 5–1 3–3 3–2 1–1
San Antonio 2–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 4–2 4–2 1–1 4–1 5–1 2–0 3–3 4–1 0–2 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–3 3–2 — 4–1 1–4 5–1 2–0
San Diego 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–5 2–3 1–1 3–3 3–2 1–1 1–4 1–5 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–4 1–5 1–4 — 0–6 2–3 0–2
Seattle 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–2 2–3 2–0 3–3 4–1 1–1 4–1 1–5 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–5 3–3 4–1 6–0 — 5–0 1–1
Utah 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–0 4–2 2–4 2–0 2–3 6–0 0–2 2–4 1–4 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–5 2–3 1–5 3–2 0–5 — 0–2
Washington 2–4 3–3 5–1 2–3 2–0 1–1 2–3 0–2 1–1 5–1 0–2 1–1 3–3 3–3 2–4 2–4 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 2–0 —

Game log

Regular season

1982–83 game log
Total: 56–26 (home: 33–8; road: 23–18)
October: 2–0 (home: 0–0; road: 2–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
November: 11–3 (home: 8–2; road: 3–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
December: 9–5 (home: 5–1; road: 4–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
January: 13–2 (home: 7–0; road: 6–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
February: 6–5 (home: 2–1; road: 4–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
March: 8–8 (home: 7–2; road: 1–6)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
April: 7–3 (home: 4–2; road: 3–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1982–83 schedule

Playoffs

1983 playoff game log
First Round: 2–1 (home: 2–0; road: 0–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 19 Atlanta W 103–95 Larry Bird (26) Robert Parish (16) Tiny Archibald (11) Boston Garden
15,320 		1–0
2 April 22 @ Atlanta L 93–95 Robert Parish (17) Larry Bird (16) Larry Bird (9) Omni Coliseum
10,405 		1–1
3 April 24 Atlanta W 98–79 Larry Bird (26) Robert Parish (11) Larry Bird (9) Boston Garden
15,320 		2–1
Conference semifinals: 0–4 (home: 0–2; road: 0–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 27 Milwaukee L 95–116 Tiny Archibald (23) Parish, Maxwell (12) Tiny Archibald (7) Boston Garden
15,320 		0–1
2 April 29 Milwaukee L 91–95 Danny Ainge (25) Robert Parish (10) Gerald Henderson (8) Boston Garden
15,320 		0–2
3 May 1 @ Milwaukee L 99–107 Larry Bird (21) Larry Bird (14) Maxwell, Bird (6) MECCA Arena
11,052 		0–3
4 May 2 @ Milwaukee L 93–107 Larry Bird (18) Larry Bird (11) Larry Bird (8) MECCA Arena
11,052 		0–4
1983 schedule

References

  1. ^ "Boston Celtics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "Larry Bird poured in 53 points – the most..." United Press International. March 30, 1983. Retrieved January 28, 2024.

See also