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#3 Bill Russell, Boston Celtics, 1966-69
Bill Russell is one of the best NBA players winning 11 NBA Finals. From 1966-69 he coached 245 games as the head coach of the Boston Celtics, the team he had so much success with as a player.
Russell started off as a player-coach after replacing Red Auerbach after he retired. He maintained success while being a coach and a player, while also being the first African-American head coach in the NBA.
He led the Celtics to two NBA Finals in his three seasons, which they won in back-to-back years from 1968-69. His 162 wins are on the low end of some of Celtics' great coaches, but his success in three seasons plus his player success puts him close to the top of Celtics' head coaches.
Russell has also been elected to the Hall of Fame as a player and head coach.
Also Read: How many rings does Bill Russell have?
#2 Tom Heinsohn Boston Celtics 1969-1978
Tom Heinsohn coached the Boston Celtics right after Russell from 1969-1978, coaching 690 games for the third-most games as a Celtics head coach.
Before winning an NBA Finals in 1974 and 1976, Heinsohn won back-to-back coach of the year awards from 1972-73. Heinsohn is the only coach to win two coach of the year awards, and one of three coaches to win the award.
Heinsohn has the second-most wins, 427 winning 62% of his games as the Celtics head coach. Even though he only led the team to two NBA Finals, he won both. His playoff winning percentage did drop to 59% in 80 games, but his success was good enough to make him a Hall of Fame player and coach.
#1 Red Auerbach, Boston Celtics, 1950-1966
Red Auerbach might be one of the best coaches of all time, winning the second-most NBA Finals in NBA history at nine in 11 Finals appearances.
From 1950 to 1966, Auerbach coached 1,192 games, winning 795 of them. He coached and won the most games for the Boston Celtics as well, winning the most NBA championships for the franchise.
Auerbach started the Celtics dynasty in 1957, and won his nine NBA Finals in a ten-year span, winning eight in a row. He won the 1964-65 coach of the year award.
Auerbach's success is only rivaled by Phil Jackson, who has more final appearances and victories over Auerbach.
After Auerbach’s retirement from coaching, he stayed heavily involved with the Boston Celtics, being General Manager from 1966-86, winning more NBA Finals as an executive.
