This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011
Red Auerbach disciple Tommy Heinsohn became the Celtics' head coach beginning in the 1969–70 season. After leading the team to a Championship in 1974, Heinsohn, Havlicek, Cowens and the rest of the men in green returned to the NBA Finals in 1976. This time Boston's opponent was the Phoenix Suns, who had posted a 42–40 regular-season record. The Celtics were the oddsmakers' choice in the contest. The Celtics took the first two games at Boston Garden, but the Suns came back to win games 3 and 4 on their home court. Game 5 ranks among the all-time thrillers in NBA history. The Suns trailed by 5 points with less than a minute left on the clock, but Westphal made up the deficit almost single-handedly, sending the game into a first overtime period, which ended in a tie. John Havlicek's basket with 2 seconds remaining in double overtime gave the Celtics a one-point lead, which Boston stretched to two points after sinking a technical foul. Then the Suns' Garfield Heard hit a last-second basket to send the contest into a third overtime. The longest game in NBA history finally ended, after three extra periods, with the Celtics winning 128–126. Two days later Boston captured yet another NBA championship, the 13th in franchise history.
In his capacity as Celtics General Manger Red Auerbach received this 1976 Celtics Championship ring. Representing the second Celtics Championship of the post-Russell era, the ring features Auerbach's name on one of one shank, bannered above a rendering of the Walter A. Brown championship trophy in relief and the words “Boston Celtics” and “Pride”. On the opposite side is the NBA logo flanked by the year "1974" with the word “Teamwork” at bottom. Around the perimeter of the face appears "N.B.A. WORLD CHAMPIONS" in raised lettering, encompassing a diamond in a basketball shaped setting at the center. Stamped inside the band is “Balfour 14k”. The ring presents beautifully with moderate evidence of having been proudly worn by the great Red Auerbach. Size: 10 1/2.
Includes a letter of provenance from the Auerbach estate.