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Sustained Excellence: Lou Pieri’s non-negotiable demand that saved the Boston Celtics

“Sustained Excellence” is a periodic series looking back at the 50th anniversary of Bill Russell’s coaching debut season, and at the Celtic dynasty in general.

In the spring of 1950 and for the second consecutive year, a 32-year-old Red Auerbach found himself out of work.

The year before when likewise available, Red had been approached by the head honcho of the Providence Steam Rollers. When asked to assess the status of the team – a team whose 12 wins had just doubled its prior season’s total – the blunt Auerbach advised a complete overhaul to the roster that would entail a couple more losing seasons.