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Boston Celtics: Top 5 greatest one-season wonders in team history

By Steve Zavala

Boston Celtics' James Posey controls the ball in front of Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar Odom during Game 5 of the 2008 NBA Finals in Los Angeles, California, June 15, 2008. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)
Boston Celtics' James Posey controls the ball in front of Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar Odom during Game 5 of the 2008 NBA Finals in Los Angeles, California, June 15, 2008. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) /

1. Dominique Wilkins —1994–1995 season

The 1990s were a decade filled with lowlights and underperformances from the Celtics. They won just two playoff series a decade after they had won three championships. Fans just looked forward to whether the team would earn a high draft pick or if someone would come in and reignite the team.

Team general manager M.L. Carr sought to solve one of their glaring issues when he signed future Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins in free agency. Wilkins seemed like just the player to carry a team like the Celtics into the playoffs once again. While the team showed little semblance at being a playoff-built roster, Wilkins took aim at being the go-to scoring option on the offensive end. And he did just that.

Wilkins did his best to carry a Celtics roster without much versatility on offense. He finished the season leading the team in points per game (17.8) and usage percentage among qualified players (26.6 percent). He was the main attraction for a team that desperately needed a notable star talent to garner the attention of fans who were slightly losing interest in the team. Wilkins answered the call and recorded nine games with at least 30 points scored, including his highlight-filled 43-point game against the Houston Rockets.

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The Celtics finished with a lowly 35–47 record, but it was somehow good enough to slot into the Eastern Conference playoffs — a feat which would soon become the norm for a multitude of teams out east. As expected, the team showed up and left early as they were eliminated in four games by the Orlando Magic in the first round.

Wilkins did what he could in the series against a physical Orlando side, especially in Game 4; he posted a 22-point game with 18 rebounds. For the final time in Boston’s famous green colors, Wilkins played like he was back dominating in the 1980s.

For a team that had eliminated him multiple times during the 1980s, Wilkins did leave behind a memorable impact in his one season in Boston.

Next. Jaylen Brown’s improved season is just what the Celtics needed. dark

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