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2003–04 Boston Celtics season
2003–04 Boston Celtics season
Head coach	Jim O'Brien; John Carroll (interim);
General manager	Chris Wallace
Owners	Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C.
Arena	Fleet Center
Results
Record	36–46 (.439)
Place	Division: 4th (Atlantic); Conference: 8th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	First round; (lost to Pacers 0–4)
	Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	Fox Sports Net New England
Radio	WWZN
< 2002–03	2004–05 >

The 2003–04 NBA season was the 58th season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association.^[1] During the offseason, the Celtics acquired Raef LaFrentz, a teammate of Paul Pierce from the University of Kansas, from the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics roster move continued in December when Tony Battie and Eric Williams were both traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ricky Davis. In February, Mike James was traded to the Detroit Pistons for Lindsey Hunter and Chucky Atkins in a three-team trade involving the Atlanta Hawks. However, Hunter was waived after the trade and later re-signed with the Pistons. The team also released Vin Baker, who signed as a free agent with the New York Knicks.

Celtics head coach Jim O'Brien resigned after a 22–24 start to the season. He was replaced by John Carroll for the remainder of the season. However, the Celtics would lose 12 of their first 13 games under Carroll. When General Manager Danny Ainge stated that the Celtics would be better off missing the playoffs, the statement seemed to motivate the team as they posted a 9–5 record in March. The Celtics, despite finishing fourth in the Atlantic Division with a low 36–46 record, qualified for the playoffs as the number 8 seed, making them the first NBA team to reach the playoffs with a below .500 record since the 1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers, who were swept by the Utah Jazz that postseason. They were swept in four games by the Indiana Pacers in the opening round. Pierce was selected for the 2004 NBA All-Star Game. Following the season, Carroll was fired as coach and replaced by Doc Rivers, who also fired by the Orlando Magic after 1–10 start.

Neither of the Celtics' home playoff games against Indiana sold out, an increasingly rare occurrence among any NBA playoff teams by the 2000s. The team only drew over 17,300 to Game 3 and about 16,400 to Game 4, thousands of tickets below the FleetCenter's capacity of 18,624. (In fact, neither did Indiana, who only drew as high as 17,000 to Game 2.)

Draft picks

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	16	Troy Bell (traded to Memphis)	PG	United States	Boston College
1	20	Dahntay Jones (traded to Memphis)	SG	United States	Duke
2	56	Brandon Hunter	PF	United States	Ohio

Roster

2003–04 Boston Celtics roster

Players

Coaches

Pos.	No.	Name	Height	Weight	DOB	From
PG	7	Atkins, Chucky	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	160 lb (73 kg)	1974–08–14	South Florida
PG	11	Banks, Marcus	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	1981–11–19	UNLV
SG	13	Barros, Dana	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	163 lb (74 kg)	1967–04–13	Boston College
C	30	Blount, Mark	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)	230 lb (104 kg)	1975–11–30	Pittsburgh
SF	12	Davis, Ricky	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	195 lb (88 kg)	1979–09–23	Iowa
PF	56	Hunter, Brandon	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	260 lb (118 kg)	1980–11–24	Ohio
SG	20	Jones, Jumaine	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)	218 lb (99 kg)	1979–02–10	Georgia
C	45	LaFrentz, Raef	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)	240 lb (109 kg)	1976–05–29	Kansas
PF	0	McCarty, Walter	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)	230 lb (104 kg)	1974–02–01	Kentucky
C	4	Mihm, Chris	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)	265 lb (120 kg)	1979–07–16	Texas
C	43	Perkins, Kendrick	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)	270 lb (122 kg)	1984–11–10	Clifton J. Ozen HS (TX)
G/F	34	Pierce, Paul	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	235 lb (107 kg)	1977–10–13	Kansas
C	5	Stewart, Michael	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)	230 lb (104 kg)	1975–04–25	California
SG	44	Welsch, Jiří	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	208 lb (94 kg)	1980–01–27	Czech Republic

Head coach

Jim O'Brien
John Carroll (interim)

Assistant coach(es)

John Carroll
Lester Conner
Joe Gallagher
Dick Harter
Frank Vogel

Legend

(DP) Unsigned draft pick
(FA) Free agent
(S) Suspended
Injured

Roster
Last transaction: 2004–02–19

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-New Jersey Nets	47	35	.573	–	28–13	19–22	18–7
x-Miami Heat	42	40	.512	5	29–12	13–28	15–10
x-New York Knicks	39	43	.476	8	23–18	16–25	15–7
x-Boston Celtics	36	46	.439	11	19–22	17–24	14–10
Philadelphia 76ers	33	49	.402	14	21–20	12–29	10–14
Washington Wizards	25	57	.305	22	17–24	8–33	3–21
Orlando Magic	21	61	.256	26	11–30	10–31	8–16

#	Eastern Conference v t e
#	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Indiana Pacers	61	21	.744	–
2	y-New Jersey Nets	47	35	.573	14
3	x-Detroit Pistons	54	28	.659	7
4	x-Miami Heat	42	40	.512	19
5	x-New Orleans Hornets	41	41	.500	20
6	x-Milwaukee Bucks	41	41	.500	20
7	x-New York Knicks	39	43	.476	22
8	x-Boston Celtics	36	46	.439	25

9	Cleveland Cavaliers	35	47	.427	26
10	Toronto Raptors	33	49	.402	28
11	Philadelphia 76ers	33	49	.402	28
12	Atlanta Hawks	28	54	.341	33
13	Washington Wizards	25	57	.305	36
14	Chicago Bulls	23	59	.280	38
15	Orlando Magic	21	61	.256	40

Record vs. opponents

2003-04 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MEM	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NOH	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	TOR	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	—	3–1	3–1	1–3	2–0	2–0	1–3	0–2	0–2	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–3	1–3	1–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–2	2–2
Boston	1–3	—	1–2	3–1	1–1	2–0	0–3	2–0	1–1	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–2	0–4	1–3	3–1	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	3–1
Chicago	1–3	2–1	—	2–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	0–2	0–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	0–4	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	4–0	1–1	1–3
Cleveland	3–1	1–3	2–2	—	0–2	0–2	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	0–2	1–2	3–1	4–0	2–1	3–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–1	2–2
Dallas	0–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	—	2–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	0–2	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–2	1–1
Denver	0–2	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	—	0–2	3–1	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–0	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	0–2	3–1	2–0
Detroit	3–1	3–0	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	—	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	0–2	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–1	3–0
Golden State	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–3	1–1	—	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	1–1
Houston	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	2–2	1–1	2–2	—	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–3	3–1	0–4	0–4	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–0
Indiana	4–0	3–1	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	—	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–0	1–3	1–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	4–0	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–0	2–0	2–1
L.A. Clippers	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–2	0–4	0–2	—	1–3	0–4	0–2	2–0	0–4	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–2	0–4	1–3	0–4	1–1	1–3	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	3–1	—	2–2	2–0	2–0	1–3	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	2–0
Memphis	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–2	0–2	3–1	3–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	—	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–0	1–3	2–0
Miami	3–1	2–2	4–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–3	2–0	0–2	1–1	—	1–2	0–2	3–2	3–1	1–3	4–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–1	1–1	4–0
Milwaukee	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–1	—	0–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	2–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	3–1	1–1	3–1
Minnesota	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	3–1	2–0	2–2	2–2	1–1	4–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–0	—	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	1–3	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	2–2	2–0
New Jersey	3–1	2–2	3–0	2–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–3	1–3	1–1	—	2–1	3–1	4–0	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	4–0
New Orleans	2–2	4–0	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–0	0–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	3–1	0–2	1–2	—	1–2	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	3–1
New York	3–0	3–1	2–2	0–4	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	1–3	2–1	—	3–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	0–2	4–0
Orlando	3–1	1–3	1–3	1–2	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–3	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	0–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	—	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–2	1–1	4–0
Philadelphia	2–1	1–3	4–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–2	3–1	1–2	1–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–2	—	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	0–2	2–2
Phoenix	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–3	0–4	0–2	2–2	3–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	—	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–2	0–2	1–3	1–1
Portland	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–3	0–4	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	—	3–1	0–4	2–2	1–1	2–2	1–1
Sacramento	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–2	4–0	2–0	4–0	3–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	—	2–2	3–1	2–0	3–1	1–1
San Antonio	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–3	3–1	1–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	3–1	1–3	1–3	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	4–0	4–0	2–2	—	4–0	2–0	4–0	2–0
Seattle	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–3	3–1	0–2	4–0	1–3	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	0–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	0–4	—	1–1	1–3	1–1
Toronto	3–1	1–3	0–4	3–1	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–2	1–3	0–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	—	1–1	1–3
Utah	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	3–1	1–1	—	1–1
Washington	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–3	1–1	0–2	1–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	0–2	0–4	1–3	0–4	0–4	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	—

Game log

Playoffs

2004 playoff game log

First Round: 0–4 (home: 0–2; road: 0–2)

Game	Date	Team	Score	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Location Attendance	Series
1	April 17	@ Indiana	L 88–104	Paul Pierce (20)	Paul Pierce (10)	three players tied (4)	Conseco Fieldhouse 16,605	0–1
2	April 20	@ Indiana	L 90–103	Paul Pierce (27)	Mark Blount (10)	Chucky Atkins (6)	Conseco Fieldhouse 17,347	0–2
3	April 23	Indiana	L 85–108	Ricky Davis (16)	Mark Blount (8)	Ricky Davis (7)	FleetCenter 17,680	0–3
4	April 25	Indiana	L 75–90	Paul Pierce (27)	Mark Blount (13)	Walter McCarty (5)	FleetCenter 16,389	0–4

2004 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

Regular season

Boston Celtics statistics
Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Chucky Atkins^†	24	24	33.0	.418	.351	.778	1.9	5.3	1.1	.0	12.0
Vin Baker^†	37	33	27.0	.505	.000	.732	5.7	1.5	.6	.6	11.3
Marcus Banks	81	2	17.1	.400	.314	.756	1.6	2.2	1.1	.2	5.9
Dana Barros	1	0	11.0	.667		1.000	.0	.0	.0	.0	6.0
Tony Battie^†	23	6	21.8	.479	1.000	.697	5.1	.9	.3	.9	5.9
Mark Blount	82	73	29.3	.566		.719	7.2	.9	1.0	1.3	10.3
Kedrick Brown^†	21	10	19.4	.455	.375	.615	3.2	1.2	.8	.1	5.2
Ricky Davis^†	57	5	29.4	.488	.380	.732	4.2	2.6	1.2	.2	14.1
Brandon Hunter	36	12	11.3	.457	.000	.442	3.3	.5	.4	.0	3.5
Mike James^†	55	55	30.6	.418	.381	.800	3.2	4.4	1.3	.0	10.7
Jumaine Jones	42	2	8.9	.344	.295	.609	1.6	.3	.3	.2	2.2
Raef LaFrentz	17	1	19.3	.460	.200	.769	4.6	1.4	.5	.8	7.8
Walter McCarty	77	23	24.7	.388	.374	.756	3.1	1.6	.9	.3	7.9
Chris Mihm^†	54	16	17.4	.500		.644	5.1	.2	.5	.8	6.1
Kendrick Perkins	10	0	3.5	.533		.667	1.4	.3	.0	.2	2.2
Paul Pierce	80	80	38.7	.402	.299	.819	6.5	5.1	1.6	.7	23.0
Michael Stewart^†	17	0	4.2	.400		.500	.6	.0	.1	.1	.3
Jiří Welsch	81	68	26.9	.428	.381	.743	3.7	2.3	1.2	.1	9.2
Eric Williams^†	21	0	24.4	.435	.344	.716	4.5	1.2	1.0	.0	11.6

Playoffs

Boston Celtics statistics
Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Chucky Atkins	4	4	33.3	.436	.300	.895	3.5	3.8	.8	.0	13.5
Marcus Banks	4	0	15.0	.438	.400	1.000	1.8	1.8	.5	.3	5.0
Dana Barros	1	0	1.0	.000			.0	.0	.0	.0	.0
Mark Blount	4	4	36.3	.486		.737	9.3	1.0	1.5	2.0	12.0
Ricky Davis	4	0	30.8	.400	.400	.688	3.0	3.5	.5	.0	11.8
Brandon Hunter	3	0	3.3	1.000			1.0	.3	.0	.3	.7
Jumaine Jones	2	0	14.0	.333	.000		2.5	1.0	.0	.0	2.0
Walter McCarty	4	4	31.8	.478	.400		5.3	2.0	.5	.5	7.0
Chris Mihm	4	0	16.3	.318		.600	4.5	.0	1.0	1.0	5.0
Paul Pierce	4	4	40.5	.342	.294	.839	8.8	2.5	1.3	1.0	20.8
Michael Stewart	1	0	2.0				.0	.0	.0	.0	.0
Jiří Welsch	4	4	26.0	.478	.250	1.000	3.0	2.3	.5	.0	8.0