​Celtics Head Coach History: Timeline of Boston Coaches, Including Red Auerbach, Joe Mazzulla originally appeared on NESN.
Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.When you’re the head coach of the Celtics, the goal never changes. The organization doesn’t just want a successful season — it wants to raise a championship banner.With a league-high 18 titles, Boston has benefited from the leadership of some of the greatest coaches in NBA history. Names like Red Auerbach, Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn and Doc Rivers are featured prominently in the team’s record books.Here is a complete history of Celtics head coaches.Celtics head coach history: Full timeline(Records via Basketball-Reference)Head coachYearsReg. season recordPlayoff recordJohn Russell1946-194842-661-2Alvin Julian1948-195047-81—Red Auerbach1950-1966795-39790-58Bill Russell1966-1969162-8328-18Tom Heinsohn1969-1978427-26347-33Tom Sanders197823-39—Dave Cowens1978-197927-41—Bill Fitch1979-1983242-8626-19K.C. Jones1983-1988308-10265-37Jimmy Rodgers1988-199094-702-6Chris Ford1990-1995222-18813-16M.L. Carr1995-199748-116—Rick Pitino1997-2001102-146—Jim O’Brien2001-2004139-11913-13John Carroll200414-220-4Doc Rivers2004-2013416-30559-47Brad Stevens2013-2021354-28238-40Ime Udoka2021-202251-3114-10Joe Mazzulla2022-present 238-9036-21The five winningest Celtics coaches(Based on total regular-season wins with the franchise)5. K.C. Jones (1983-1988)Record: 308-102Jones was an eight-time NBA champion as a player with the Celtics before launching a successful coaching career. He is one of only five Boston coaches with more than 300 regular-season wins, and he led the Celtics to NBA titles in 1984 and 1986.4. Brad Stevens (2013-2021)Record: 354-282Stevens served as the team’s head coach for eight seasons before becoming the president of basketball operations. The Celtics consistently improved under Stevens, jumping from 25 wins in his first season all the way to 55 wins in his fifth season.3. Doc Rivers (2004-2013)Record: 416-305Rivers helped the Celtics snap a championship drought that had lasted more than two decades, winning a title in 2008 with a “Big Three” of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Rivers reached the NBA Finals again in 2010, falling just short of another ring with a loss to the Lakers in a seven-game series.2. Tom Heinsohn (1969-1978)Record: 427-263Like Jones, Heinsohn won eight NBA championships as a Celtics player, then traded in his uniform for a suit. He had the difficult task of following Auerbach and Russell, but Heinsohn carried on the winning legacy, guiding Boston to titles in 1974 and 1976.1. Red Auerbach (1950-1966)Record: 795-397The greatest coach in Celtics history. Auerbach set the standard in Boston, winning nearly 800 regular-season games and nine NBA championships as the team’s head coach.Celtics current coachJoe Mazzulla (2022-present)Record (as of Oct. 20, 2026): 238-90Mazzulla joined the Celtics’ coaching staff as an assist