Bill Russell knows a thing or 11 about a winning NBA championships. The Celtics legend, who was in attendance for Monday night’s Game 1 against the 76ers, also knew what he was doing when it came to sending Philadelphia hopefuls packing in the postseason.
Russell came up against Philadelphia teams eight times in the playoffs. Seven times, the Celtics advanced. In 1958, 1960, and 1962, Boston faced the Philadelphia Warriors in the first round. The Celtics won all three series.
Then the Warriors relocated to the Bay Area and were renamed the San Francisco, now Golden State, Warriors.