During the thirteen years that Hall of Fame center Russell dominated the court, the Celtics won eleven world championships, including an unprecedented eight straight between 1959 and 1966. In the 1968-69 season, the aging and injury-riddled team finished in fourth place during the regular season, and sportswriters predicted an early defeat in the playoffs. Against all odds, player-coach Russell and his squad rallied to beat the heavily-favored Philadelphia ''76ers and New York Knicks, and captured the championship crown in a dramatic upset of Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and the Los Angeles Lakers in the closing seconds of the final game of the series. The following summer, Russell stunned the sports world by announcing his retirement, ending his and the Celtics'' celebrated reign. In this vivid and lively account, Thomas J. Whalen chronicles Russell''s memorable last season and the Celtics'' dazzling triumph. Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous 1960s and Boston''s own turbulent and bitter struggles with race, he tells the fascinating story of how an improbable championship team overcame poor health, indifferent fans, disruptive personnel changes, and internal morale problems. Whalen recounts how Russell transformed the game of basketball during his remarkable career and revisits the outspoken superstar''s conflicted relationship with Boston. He also tells why the Celtics, the first team to break several NBA color lines, failed to attract a loyal following among the city''s largely white sports fanatics and press corps.
^ (2012). Dynasty's End: Bill Russell and the1968-69 World Champion Boston CelticsISBN 9781555536435 (revised Dec 2013)
^Thomas J. WhalenDynasty's End: Bill Russell and the1968-69 World Champion Boston Celtics (Sportstown Series), Northeastern. Amazon. ISBN 9781555536435 (revised Feb 2015)
^Dynastys End: Bill Russell And The1968-69 World Champion Boston CelticsIndigo. ISBN 9781555536435 (revised Dec 2023)
^ Dynasty's End: Bill Russell and the 1968-69 World Champion Boston Celtics Buy. ISBN 9781555536435 (revised May 2015)
In an era when the NBA is about individuals (Kobe, Shaq), reading a book about a true team is very refreshing. To a man, the players on the 1968-69 Boston Celtics talk about defense, rebounding, and meshing their abilities with those of their teammates. Not one of them is concerned about how many points he scored on a given night, only about whether the team won. It's also very interesting to read about an
I heard about this book in a Sports Illustrated capsule. The subject matter has always fascinated me -- despite the fact they were defending champs and had won 10 of the previous 12 years, I still consider them the most unlikely (and for that reason compelling) champs in NBA history.
