2011–12 Boston Celtics season
The 2011–12 Boston Celtics season was the 66th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Boston Celtics finished the regular season with a 39–27 won-loss record, which was the 4th best in the East, winning their 21st Atlantic Division title. Their longest winning and losing streaks were 5 games. The leading scorer was Paul Pierce, averaging 19.4 PPG. The leading rebounder was Kevin Garnett (8.2 RPG). Rajon Rondo led the team and the league in assists per-game with 11.7. The regular season was reduced from its usual 82 games to 66 due to the lockout. The Celtics made a relatively deep playoff run, where they defeated the Atlanta Hawks in six games in the First Round, and the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games in the Semifinals, eventually challenging the Miami Heat for the third consecutive season (the team who defeated them in last season's Semifinals), in the Eastern Conference finals. They ultimately lost the series in seven games to the eventual NBA champion.
| 2011–12 Boston Celtics season | |
|---|---|
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Doc Rivers |
| General manager | Danny Ainge |
| President | Danny Ainge |
| Owners | Boston Basketball Partners |
| Arena | TD Garden |
| Results | |
| Record | 39–27 (.591) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Atlantic) Conference: 4th (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | Eastern Conference finals (lost to Heat 3–4) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | CSN New England |
| Radio | WEEI-FM |
Following the season, Ray Allen departed via free agency for the eventual champion Miami Heat, effectively ending the Big 3 era in Boston. During his 2 years as a Heat, Allen would help them win a second-straight title the following year over the San Antonio Spurs in seven games, and appear again in the 2014 Finals against the same Spurs team.
It was also the NBA's first time without Shaquille O'Neal since 1991–92, as he retired in May 2011 and played his final season as a Celtic.