Boston Celtics: The 5 Game 7s that shaped the Celtics-76ers Rivalry

1965: Havlicek stole the ball

In 1965, before Philadephia and Boston saw each other as enemies, the NBA was highlighted by two men. Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain met nearly every year in the playoffs, and the victor usually won the championship–a reality true for 10 straight years.

The Celtics at the time were winners of six straight championships and vying a seventh until San Francisco Warriors superstar, Wilt Chamberlain, was traded to the 76ers at the all-star break, creating another competitive organization, that had the ability to possibly take down the Boston Celtics. The Big Dipper played alongside Hal Greer and a young Chet Walker. The league’s leading scorer seemed finally had a chance to win his first championship.

After beating Oscar Robertson and the Cincinnati Royals, the Sixers faced Boston. The winner expected to play the Lakers, a team that was significantly less talented than the two in the East.

The two teams split the two games, winning the game at their own home court. Then the Celtics won Game 3, the 76ers won Game 4, then Boston broke the tie going up 3-2, and after another Philladephia home victory, and the series was split.

The Celtics had the home-court advantage for the rubber match. Boston was yet to lose a Game 7 at home, with the loudest stadium in sports, Red Auerbach shenanigans, and a handful of Hall-of-Famers with more playoff experience than everyone else in the NBA.

Still, their opponent was Wilt Chamberlain, not one to get fazed. The game went back and forth for all four quarters. The Celtics started on a 30-12 run, but Chamberlain swiftly closed the gap to nine, later giving the Sixers a five-point lead. At halftime, the 76ers were ahead by just one, and the Celtics quickly regained control in the third. In the last period, the 76ers proved they were still alive, closing the gap.

With five seconds left, the 76ers were down three, 110-107. Wilt Chamberlain ran down the court and got a quick layup, with all the Celtic players backing out of the way afraid of a foul and a three-point play. All Boston had to do was inbound the ball, but when Bill Russell tried to throw the ball over the seven-foot-tall Wilt Chamberlain, the ball hit the guidewire, giving Philadephia possession.

The 76ers took the ball on their side of the court with just a couple seconds remaining. However, Hal Greer was also having trouble inbounding the ball with Bill Russell covering his target, Wilt Chamberlain, tightly. With one second left to inbound the ball, he threw it to a seemingly open Chet Walker, where John Havlicek reached out to tip the ball away and into the hands of Sam Jones, who ran out the clock.

Layered with one of the most infamous calls in Johnny Most’s career as an announcer screaming in disbelief, “Havlicek stole the ball, Havlicek stole the ball” and the court mobbing the new Boston hero, it formulated one of the greatest moments in Boston sports history.

Wilt Chamberlain finished the game with 30 points and 32 rebounds, compared to Bill Russell, who had 15 points 29 rebounds, and either eight or nine assists depending on the source. Sam Jones was the games leading scorer with 37 points, and Hondo had 26 points with 11 rebounds.

The Celtics went on to beat the Los Angeles Lakers in five games obtaining their seventh championship in a row. Notwithstanding the victory over the Lakers, what characterized the 1965 season, and the Celtics season was the win over Philadephia, and a new rivalry that would go on to last at least 55 more years.