Dossier · 1960s
Bill Russell
Eleven titles in 13 seasons, and the invention of defense as a strategy.
1956-1969 · Celtics
- Titles
- 11 in 13 seasons
- MVPs
- 5
- Career rebounding
- 22.5 per game
- Career scoring
- 15.1 per game
- Player-coach titles
- 2 (1968, 1969)
- Game 7 record
- 10-0
The numbers
Russell won 11 championships in 13 seasons. No athlete in a major American team sport has matched it, and the arithmetic of a modern 4-round playoff makes it unrepeatable.
He averaged 22.5 rebounds and 15.1 points for his career and won 5 MVPs. He was never the leading scorer on a title team, which was the point.
In the 1962 Finals Game 7 against the Lakers he had 30 points and 40 rebounds. In deciding games he was 10-0 for his career.
Blocked shots were not recorded as a statistic until 1973-74, four years after he retired. The single most important thing he did has no number attached to it at all.
The context
Before Russell, defense at center meant standing still and being large. He treated it as a possession-winning act: leave your man, meet the ball at its highest point, and keep it in play so a teammate can run.
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