Last Updated on September 20, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

League Search Page > NBA > Boston Celtics > Roster & Statistics

The Boston Celtics 1964–65 were powered by a balanced veteran lineup, with Sam Jones and John Havlicek providing the bulk of the scoring while Bill Russell controlled the boards and anchored the defense. Tommy Heinsohn added reliable frontcourt production, and Russell’s playmaking further highlighted Boston’s unselfish style. The statistics reflect a team built on elite rebounding, defensive strength, and shared offensive responsibility rather than high-volume individual scoring.

Roster

NO. PLAYER NAME POS HT WT BIRTH DATE COLLEGE
4 Gerry Ward SG 6-4 195 September 26, 1941 Boston College
6 Bill Russell C 6-10 215 February 12, 1934 San Francisco
11 Mel Counts C 7-0 230 October 16, 1941 Oregon State
12 Willie Naulls SF 6-6 225 October 7, 1934 UCLA
15 Tom Heinsohn SF 6-7 218 August 26, 1934 Holy Cross
16 Tom Sanders PF 6-6 210 November 8, 1938 NYU
17 John Havlicek SG 6-5 203 April 8, 1940 Ohio State
18 John Thompson PF 6-10 225 September 2, 1941 Providence
20 Larry Siegfried SG 6-3 190 May 22, 1939 Ohio State
21 Ron Bonham SF 6-5 192 May 31, 1942 Cincinnati
24 Sam Jones SG 6-4 198 June 24, 1933 NC Central
25 K.C. Jones PG 6-1 200 May 25, 1932 San Francisco
34 Bevo Nordmann C 6-10 225 December 11, 1939 Saint Louis

Regular Season Per Game

PLR POS AGE G GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TPG FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Sam Jones SG 31 80   36.1 25.9 5.1 2.8       22.7 10.3 .452       6.5 5.4 .820
John Havlicek SG 24 75   28.9 18.3 4.9 2.7       18.9 7.6 .401       4.2 3.1 .744
Bill Russell C 30 78   44.4 14.1 24.1 5.3       12.6 5.5 .438       5.5 3.1 .573
Tom Heinsohn SF 30 67   25.5 13.6 6.0 2.3       14.2 5.4 .383       3.4 2.7 .795
Tom Sanders PF 26 80   30.7 11.8 8.3 1.2       10.9 4.7 .429       3.2 2.4 .745
Willie Naulls SF 30 71   20.6 10.5 4.7 1.0       11.1 4.3 .384       2.5 2.0 .813
K.C. Jones PG 32 78   31.2 8.3 4.1 5.6       8.2 3.2 .396       2.9 1.8 .630
Ron Bonham SF 22 37   10.0 7.4 2.1 0.5       5.9 2.5 .414       3.0 2.5 .821
Larry Siegfried SG 25 72   13.8 6.3 1.9 1.7       5.8 2.4 .415       1.9 1.5 .779
Mel Counts C 23 54   10.6 4.8 4.9 0.4       5.0 1.9 .368       1.4 1.1 .784
John Thompson PF 23 64   10.9 3.6 3.6 0.3       3.3 1.3 .402       1.6 1.0 .590
Bevo Nordmann C 25 3   8.3 2.0 2.7 1.0       1.7 1.0 .600       0.0 0.0  
Gerry Ward SG 23 3   10.0 1.7 1.7 2.0       6.0 0.7 .111       0.3 0.3 1.000
Totals     80   240.9 112.8 71.9 22.2       107.6 44.6 .414       32.3 23.6 .731

Playoff Per Game

PLR POS AGE G GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TPG FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Sam Jones SG 31 12   41.3 28.6 4.6 2.5       24.5 11.3 .459       7.0 6.1 .869
John Havlicek SG 24 12   33.8 18.5 7.3 2.4       20.8 7.3 .352       4.6 3.8 .836
Bill Russell C 30 12   46.8 16.5 25.2 6.3       12.5 6.6 .527       6.3 3.3 .526
Tom Sanders PF 26 12   30.4 13.3 8.5 1.6       12.7 5.3 .421       3.6 2.6 .721
Tom Heinsohn SF 30 12   23.0 12.7 7.0 1.9       15.1 5.5 .365       2.7 1.7 .625
K.C. Jones PG 32 12   33.0 10.1 3.3 6.2       8.7 3.6 .413       3.8 2.9 .778
Willie Naulls SF 30 12   15.0 7.3 4.3 0.8       7.9 3.3 .411       1.3 0.8 .667
Larry Siegfried SG 25 12   13.6 7.0 2.1 1.8       6.6 2.5 .380       2.3 2.0 .857
John Thompson PF 23 3   7.0 3.7 4.0 0.3       2.3 0.7 .286       2.3 2.3 1.000
Ron Bonham SF 22 4   3.3 3.5 0.3 0.0       3.0 1.3 .417       1.3 1.0 .800
Mel Counts C 23 4   7.5 2.3 2.8 0.3       3.8 1.0 .267       0.3 0.3 1.000
Totals     12   242.1 116.8 72.3 23.6       111.6 46.3 .414       32.6 24.3 .744

Regular Season Per 36 Minutes

PLR POS AGE G GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TPG FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Ron Bonham SF 22 37   10.0 26.7 7.6 1.9       21.5 8.9 .414       10.9 9.0 .821
Sam Jones SG 31 80   36.1 25.8 5.1 2.8       22.7 10.2 .452       6.5 5.3 .820
John Havlicek SG 24 75   28.9 22.8 6.2 3.3       23.6 9.5 .401       5.2 3.9 .744
Tom Heinsohn SF 30 67   25.5 19.2 8.4 3.3       20.1 7.7 .383       4.8 3.8 .795
Willie Naulls SF 30 71   20.6 18.4 8.3 1.8       19.3 7.4 .384       4.3 3.5 .813
Larry Siegfried SG 25 72   13.8 16.4 4.8 4.3       15.1 6.3 .415       5.1 3.9 .779
Mel Counts C 23 54   10.6 16.2 16.7 1.2       17.1 6.3 .368       4.7 3.7 .784
Tom Sanders PF 26 80   30.7 13.8 9.7 1.3       12.8 5.5 .429       3.8 2.8 .745
John Thompson PF 23 64   10.9 11.8 11.8 0.8       10.8 4.3 .402       5.4 3.2 .590
Bill Russell C 30 78   44.4 11.4 19.5 4.3       10.2 4.5 .438       4.4 2.5 .573
K.C. Jones PG 32 78   31.2 9.6 4.7 6.5       9.5 3.7 .396       3.4 2.1 .630
Bevo Nordmann C 25 3   8.3 8.6 11.5 4.3       7.2 4.3 .600       0.0 0.0  
Gerry Ward SG 23 3   10.0 6.0 6.0 7.2       21.6 2.4 .111       1.2 1.2 1.000
Totals                                        

Playoff Per 36 Minutes

PLR POS AGE G GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TPG FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Ron Bonham SF 22 4   3.3 38.8 2.8 0.0       33.2 13.8 .417       13.8 11.1 .800
Sam Jones SG 31 12   41.3 24.9 4.0 2.2       21.4 9.8 .459       6.1 5.3 .869
Tom Heinsohn SF 30 12   23.0 19.8 11.0 3.0       23.6 8.6 .365       4.2 2.6 .625
John Havlicek SG 24 12   33.8 19.7 7.8 2.6       22.2 7.8 .352       4.9 4.1 .836
John Thompson PF 23 3   7.0 18.9 20.6 1.7       12.0 3.4 .286       12.0 12.0 1.000
Larry Siegfried SG 25 12   13.6 18.6 5.5 4.6       17.4 6.6 .380       6.2 5.3 .857
Willie Naulls SF 30 12   15.0 17.6 10.2 1.8       19.0 7.8 .411       3.0 2.0 .667
Tom Sanders PF 26 12   30.4 15.7 10.1 1.9       15.0 6.3 .421       4.2 3.1 .721
Bill Russell C 30 12   46.8 12.7 19.4 4.9       9.6 5.1 .527       4.9 2.6 .526
K.C. Jones PG 32 12   33.0 11.0 3.5 6.7       9.5 3.9 .413       4.1 3.2 .778
Mel Counts C 23 4   7.5 10.8 13.2 1.2       18.0 4.8 .267       1.2 1.2 1.000
Totals                                        

Regular Season Totals

PLR POS AGE GP GS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Sam Jones SG 31 80   2885 2070 411 223       1818 821 .452       522 428 .820
John Havlicek SG 24 75   2169 1375 371 199       1420 570 .401       316 235 .744
Bill Russell C 30 78   3466 1102 1878 410       980 429 .438       426 244 .573
Tom Sanders PF 26 80   2459 941 661 92       871 374 .429       259 193 .745
Tom Heinsohn SF 30 67   1706 912 399 157       954 365 .383       229 182 .795
Willie Naulls SF 30 71   1465 747 336 72       786 302 .384       176 143 .813
K.C. Jones PG 32 78   2434 649 318 437       639 253 .396       227 143 .630
Larry Siegfried SG 25 72   996 455 134 119       417 173 .415       140 109 .779
Ron Bonham SF 22 37   369 274 78 19       220 91 .414       112 92 .821
Mel Counts C 23 54   572 258 265 19       272 100 .368       74 58 .784
John Thompson PF 23 64   699 230 230 16       209 84 .402       105 62 .590
Bevo Nordmann C 25 3   25 6 8 3       5 3 .600       0 0  
Gerry Ward SG 23 3   30 5 5 6       18 2 .111       1 1 1.000
Totals     80   19275 9024 5094 1772       8609 3567 .414       2587 1890 .731

Playoff Totals

PLR POS AGE GP GS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Sam Jones   31 12   495 343 55 30       294 135 .459       84 73 .869
John Havlicek   24 12   405 222 88 29       250 88 .352       55 46 .836
Bill Russell   30 12   561 198 302 76       150 79 .527       76 40 .526
Tom Sanders   26 12   365 159 102 19       152 64 .421       43 31 .721
Tom Heinsohn   30 12   276 152 84 23       181 66 .365       32 20 .625
K.C. Jones   32 12   396 121 39 74       104 43 .413       45 35 .778
Willie Naulls   30 12   180 88 51 9       95 39 .411       15 10 .667
Larry Siegfried   25 12   163 84 25 21       79 30 .380       28 24 .857
Ron Bonham   22 4   13 14 1 0       12 5 .417       5 4 .800
John Thompson   23 3   21 11 12 1       7 2 .286       7 7 1.000
Mel Counts   23 4   30 9 11 1       15 4 .267       1 1 1.000
Totals     12   2905 1401 770 283       1339 555 .414       391 291 .744

HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight

Player Name Role Tier MPG Usage Tier PPG RPG APG STK (SPG + BPG) Impact Index* Notes Awards
Sam Jones Primary Scorer / Offensive Anchor 36.1 High Usage 25.9 5.1 2.8   21.9 Led team in scoring; one of the focal offensive options and clutch performers; Celtics title contributor. Sam was also All-NBA Second Team this season. All-NBA Second Team; All-Star
Bill Russell Defensive Anchor / Team Leader 44.4 Medium Usage 14.1 24.1 5.3   21.7 League MVP; rebounding dominant; defensive foundation of dynasty; held Wilt Chamberlain in check in playoffs. MVP; All-NBA First Team; All-Star
John Havlicek Two-Way Impact Wing 28.9 Medium Usage 18.3 4.9 2.7   14.2 Top secondary scorer; famous “Havlicek steal” moment in playoffs; growing into all-around contributor. —
Tom Heinsohn Scoring Forward / Secondary Option 25.5 Medium Usage 13.6 6.0 2.3   11.1 Versatile forward with inside and midrange scoring; veteran presence following several championships. All-Star
Tom Sanders Defensive Forward / Rebounder 30.7 Medium Usage 11.8 8.3 1.2   10.7 Key rebounder and role defender; strong supporting starter for the Celtics. —
Willie Naulls Supporting Forward 20.6 Low Usage 10.5 4.7 1.0   8.1 Added scoring and size; part of the first documented all-Black NBA starting lineup around midseason. —
K.C. Jones Defensive PG / Facilitator 31.2 Low Usage 8.3 4.1 5.6   9.0 Primary perimeter defender; facilitated offense with assists; not a major scoring option but key in ball movement. —
Ron Bonham Role Scorer 10.0 Low Usage 7.4 2.1 0.5   4.5 Young bench contributor and Rookie of the Year vote-getter; showed scoring upside in limited minutes. ROY-4
Larry Siegfried Bench SG 13.8 Very Low Usage 6.3 1.9 1.7   4.9 Spot scoring and perimeter ball-handling; limited role. —
Mel Counts Bench Big 10.6 Very Low Usage 4.8 4.9 0.4   5.5 Provided size and rebounding potential in limited action. —
John Thompson Developmental Big 10.9 Very Low Usage 3.6 3.6 0.3   3.8 Limited minutes; developmental role as forward/center. —
Bevo Nordmann Fringe Roster 8.3 Very Low Usage 2.0 2.7 1.0   3.3 Brief appearance; minimal impact due to few games. —
Gerry Ward Fringe Roster 10.0 Very Low Usage 1.7 1.7 2.0   3.7 Very limited sample; situational minutes only. —