How many times have Celtics been to Finals? Taking a look at iconic NBA franchise

The Boston Celtics have held rank with the Los Angeles Lakers as one of the greatest franchises in NBA history. After the team was founded in 1946, they won their first championship in 1957 and went on to win 17 titles.

They won their last championship in 2008 against the Lakers and came close to making it No. 18 in 2022 as they made their 22nd NBA Finals appearance. However, they were beaten by the Golden State Warriors and are yet to repeat their heroics from 2008.

The Celtics cemented themselves as a dynasty under head coach Jacob Auerbach, who led the franchise to nine championship wins.

In addition, they made the playoffs in each of his 16 seasons as coach of the team and won eight straight championships from 1959 to 1966. After he took over as the team's GM and president, Boston won six titles.

After going through a lean patch in the mid-90s, the Celtics came back strong in the 2007–08 season, when they finished with the league's best record.

The team had bona fide superstars Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce, who steered the team to the NBA Finals and defeated their rivals Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers for the ninth time to win their 17th NBA title. Both teams faced off again in the 2009-10 season, with the Lakers taking it in seven games.

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Can the Celtics win the NBA 2022-23 season?

With the 2022–23 season underway, the Boston Celtics have been one of the teams to beat this season.

The summer saw the front office ring in the changes as they traded away big names in Grant Williams and Marcus Smart and added Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to the mix.

In Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the outfit still has two of the best one-two-punch combos in the league, with the perfect blend of offense and defense.

With the improvements made to their roster this offseason, Boston has already penciled in the NBA Finals this season. At the time of writing, they sit pretty on top in the Eastern Conference standings with a 15-4 record and are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the fewest losses in the league.

The Celtics have been close to winning a title over the last few seasons. They nearly pulled off a historic comeback this past, as they trailed the Miami Heat 3-0 but were trounced in Game 7 at home.

Now, the new-look roster has the potential to get them across the finish line, and only time will tell if they can make it 18 by the end of the season.