Red Auerbach, 1917-2006

by Lang Whitaker

Perhaps the greatest basketball mind of all time passed away this weeked. Red Auerbach, the Celtics coach/GM who led them to eight consecutive NBA titles, was 89 years old.

The Boston Globe as a special section up here, with plenty of articles and remembrances. Jackie MacMullan has a brilliant article here about her relationship with Red, and
Mike Wilbon writes that Red was not only a brilliant basketball mind, but he was also a key player in changing the social face of the NBA during the ’50s and ’60s.

I’ve been looking around the ‘net tonight for Red Auerbach stories, but I think the best thing I came across is this video of Red and Bill Russell teaching TV viewers how to play defense. (And check out who they’re using as an offensive pawn: Tiny Archibald.)