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Former Celtics 5-time NBA champion dies at 86 originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Don Nelson will be remembered for his more than three decades as a head coach, a career that ended atop the all-time wins list, but he first made his name in a Celtics uniform.
Nelson died Sunday at the age of 86, his family announced. The Dallas Morning News reported Nelson suffered a stroke three weeks earlier and had been in hospice care in the Dallas area.
Nelson retired with 1,335 career wins, which remain more than any coach in NBA history other than Gregg Popovich. While he didn't win a championship or even reach the NBA Finals as a head coach, Nelson was a key cog on title-winning Celtics teams in the 1960s and 1970s.
Here's more to know about Nelson's playing career.
Don Nelson playing career
Nelson was drafted by the Chicago Zephyrs in 1962 and split his first three seasons between the Zephyrs and Lakers before joining the Celtics in 1966.
The fit proved to be ideal, as Nelson became a staple in Boston for 11 seasons, averaging more than 10 points per game in all but two seasons with the Celtics and winning five championships along the way.
The Celtics won titles with Nelson in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974 and 1976. Nelson played alongside franchise greats Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, Jo Jo White, Sam Jones and more.
Nelson hit a memorable shot late in Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals, which helped push the Celtics to a title:
The journey into coaching was a rapid one for Nelson, who was well-prepared by his time in Boston. Nelson became head coach of the Bucks just 18 games into the 1976-77 season, which was his first year of retirement. The rest is history, but Nelson first made history in a Celtics uniform.
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