1971–72 Boston Celtics season
| 1971–72 Boston Celtics season | |
|---|---|
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Tom Heinsohn |
| General manager | Red Auerbach |
| Arena | Boston Garden |
| Results | |
| Record | 56–26 (.683) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Atlantic) Conference: 1st (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | Conference finals (lost to Knicks 1–4) |
Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Local media | |
| Television | WSMW-TV |
| Radio | WBZ |
The 1971–72 NBA season was the Celtics' 26th season in the NBA. The Celtics qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 3 seasons, and won the Atlantic Division for the 1st time in franchise history. The Celtics had the fifth best team defensive rating and the fifth best team offensive rating in the NBA.
Tom Heinsohn, a Celtics legend as a player, led the club in his third season as head coach. The team made its first postseason without Bill Russell since 1956, and would advance to their first conference finals before falling to the eventual runners-up and rivals New York Knicks in a five-game series.