How many Boston Celtics have won All-NBA First, Second or Third Team honors?
With over 70 years of history and a total of 17 titles to their name, the Boston Celtics are among the most storied franchises in the NBA. So it should come as no surprise to hear they have populated the ranks of the league’s All-NBA First, Second and later Third Team honors.
Dating back to the Basketball Association of America (BAA) days before the fledgling league had changed its name to the NBA all the way up to the present, the award expanded from two teams to three in the 1988-89 season, and with its expansion came more Celtics winning the award.
How many players have been so honored throughout the team’s history? And how many of their names, seasons and teams can you name? Scroll down to see for yourself.
How many Boston Celtics have won NBA All-Defensive Team honors? https://t.co/ZNpDE2y02h
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) May 20, 2021
1947-48: Ed Sadowski - Second Team
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
1950-51: Ed Macauley - First Team
AP Photo/Bill Chaplis
1951-52: Ed Macauley - First Team
AP Photo/RHS
1951-52: Bob Cousy - First Team
AP Photo/Bill Chaplis
1952-53: Ed Macauley - First Team
AP Photo
1952-53: Bob Cousy - First Team
AP Photo/MZ
1952-53: Bill Sharman - Second Team
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
1953-54: Bob Cousy - First Team
AP Photo/Matty Zimmerman
1953-54: Ed Macauley - Second Team
AP Photo/TF
1954-55: Bob Cousy - First Team
AP Photo
1954-55: Bill Sharman - Second Team
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
1955-56: Bob Cousy - First Team
AP Photo
1955-56: Bill Sharman - First Team
AP Photo
1956-57: Bob Cousy - First Team
AP Photo
1956-57: Bill Sharman - First Team
AP Photo
1957-58: Bob Cousy - First Team
AP Photo
1957-58: Bill Sharman - First Team
AP Photo/J. Walter Green, File
1957-58: Bill Russell - Second Team
Associated Press
1958-59: Bill Russell - First Team
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
1958-59: Bill Sharman - First Team
NBA Photo Library/NBAE/Getty Images
1958-59: Bob Cousy - First Team
Richard Meek /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images
1959-60: Bob Cousy - First Team
AP Photo/File
1959-60: Bill Russell - Second Team
Boston Globe staff photo 1960
1959-60: Bill Sharman - Second Team
AP Photo
1960-61: Bob Cousy - First Team
Darryl Norenberg-USA TODAY Sports
1960-61: Bill Russell - Second Team
AP Photo/David F. Smith
1960-61: Tommy Heinsohn - Second Team
AP Photo
1961-62: Bill Russell - Second Team
AP Photo/Bill Chaplis
1961-62: Tommy Heinsohn - Second Team
AP Photo
1961-62: Bob Cousy - Second Team
AP Photo/files
1962-63: Bill Russell - First Team
AP Photo/Bill Chaplis
1962-63: Tommy Heinsohn - Second Team
Malcolm Emmons- USA TODAY Sports
1962-63: Bob Cousy - Second Team
AP Photo
1963-64: Tommy Heinsohn - Second Team
AP Photo
1963-64: Bill Russell - Second Team
Dick Raphael/NBAE/Getty Images
1963-64: John Havlicek - Second Team
AP Photo/Frank C. Curtin, File
1964-65: Bill Russell - First Team
AP Photo
1964-65: Sam Jones - Second Team
Darryl Norenberg-USA TODAY Sports Network
1965-66: Bill Russell - Second Team
Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK
1965-66: Sam Jones - Second Team
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
1965-66: John Havlicek - Second Team
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
1966-67: Bill Russell - Second Team
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
1966-67: Sam Jones - Second Team
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
1967-68: Bill Russell - Second Team
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
1967-68: John Havlicek - Second Team
AP Photo/HF
1968-69: John Havlicek - Second Team
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Network.
1969-70: John Havlicek - Second Team
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Network.
1970-71: John Havlicek - First Team
Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
1971-72: John Havlicek - First Team
AP Photo
1972-73: John Havlicek - First Team
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY
1972-73: Dave Cowens - Second Team
Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
1973-74: John Havlicek - First Team
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Network.
1974-75: John Havlicek - Second Team
AP Photo/J. Walter Green
1974-75: Dave Cowens - Second Team
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Network
1974-75: Jo Jo White - Second Team
AP Photo/Julie Harju
1975-76: John Havlicek - Second Team
ony Tomsic-USA TODAY Sports
1975-76: Dave Cowens - Second Team
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
1976-77: Jo Jo White - Second Team
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
1979-80: Larry Bird - First Team
Dick Raphael-USA TODAY Sports
1980-81: Larry Bird - First Team
AP Photo/CBS
1980-81: Nate Archibald - Second Team
AP Photo/Fred Jewell
1981-82: Larry Bird - First Team
AP Photo
1981-82: Robert Parish - Second Team
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
1983-84: Larry Bird - First Team
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
1984-85: Larry Bird - First Team
AP Photo/Peter Southwick, File
1985-86: Larry Bird - First Team
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
1986-87: Larry Bird - First Team
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
1986-87: Kevin McHale - First Team
AP Photo/Mark Lennihan
1987-88: Larry Bird - First Team
AP Photo/David Tenenbaum
1988-89: Robert Parish - Third Team
AP Photo/Elise Amendola
1989-90: Larry Bird - Second Team
AP Photo/Peter Southwick
2001-02: Paul Pierce - Third Team
AP Photo/David Zalubowski
2002-03: Paul Pierce - Third Team
AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
2007-08: Kevin Garnett - First Team
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
2007-08: Paul Pierce- Third Team
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
2008-09: Paul Pierce- Second Team
Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
2011-12: Rajon Rondo - Third Team
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
2016-17: Isaiah Thomas - Second Team
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
2018-19: Kyrie Irving - Second Team
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
2019-20: Jayson Tatum - Third Team
Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
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