1976–77 Boston Celtics season
The 1976–77 Boston Celtics season was the 31st season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
| 1976–77 Boston Celtics season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Tom Heinsohn |
| General manager | Red Auerbach |
| Arena | Boston Garden Hartford Civic Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 44–38 (.537) |
| Place | Division: 2nd (Atlantic) Conference: 4th (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | Conference Semi-finals (lost to 76ers 3–4) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | WBZ-TV |
| Radio | WBZ |
Even though the Celtics were the defending NBA champions, they were an aging team in transition. Thirty-five year old Don Nelson retired as a player, but the key contributors who remained were aging, namely John Havlicek (age 36), Jo Jo White (31), and Paul Silas (33). The Celtics took steps to get younger in the frontcourt by sending Silas to the Denver Nuggets in a three-way trade that ended up bringing Detroit Pistons forward Curtis Rowe. The Celtics also traded a first-round draft pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for Sidney Wicks. Wicks and Rowe would provide athleticism, the Celtics felt, and, more importantly, allow Havlicek to return to a sixth-man role and not log as many minutes as in the past.