The Boston Celtics ended the 1955 NBA Season with a record of 36-36, a 3rd place finish in the Eastern division, and a playoff berth. In the 1st round the Celtics beat the New York Knicks coached by legendary coach and Original Celtic Joe Lapchick 2 games to 1. In the Eastern Finals the Celtics were defeated by the Syracuse Nationals 3 games to 1, losing in the Eastern Finals for the 3rd straight year, and losing to the Syracuse side for the 2nd straight year. Boston entered the 1955-56 season with 2 key players gone, Don Barksdale was retired and Frank Ramsey was in the military. Here is Sports Illustrated's 1st season preview of a Boston Celtics team, SI didn't preview the 1954-55 season. The problems with the Celtics mentioned at the time would not be solved until 1956 when they drafted Bill Russell. This is from November 21, 1955.
"Boston Celtics . Bob Cousy and Co. are still the scoring terrors of the league—but it remains to be seen if the draft and off-season deals have given them enough added rebound strength to make up last season's main deficiency. Ball-handling magician Cousy , Bill Sharman and Ed Macauley , Boston 's Big Three, will again lead the league's top race-horse style offense. But up front Arnie Risen (6'8"), purchased from Rochester , and Rookies Jim Los-cutoff (6'5") from Oregon and Dick Hemric (6'6") from Wake Forest must come through to help out Macauley (6'8"), Jack Nichols (6'7"), Red Morrison (6'8") and Togo Palazzi (6'4") under the boards. Basically, however, as Eckman of Fort Wayne says: "The Celtics are a team which throws defense out the window—and any ball club which plays against them has to do the same to stay in the game."
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Throws defense out the window...funny
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