In the spring of 1957, the Boston Celtics, led by coach Red Auerbach, won a National Basketball Association championship for the first time. Auerbach had been building the team throughout the 1950s, but was still missing what he considered an essential piece, a single player in the middle who could hoist the team on his shoulders by doing the dirty work of rebounding and playing defense. That player was Bill Russell.By blending unselfish, yet talented players into a roster led by Russell's unconquerable will, Auerbach and the Celtics put together an unprecedented run of championships rarely challenged before or since in team sports. Between 1957 and 1969, Boston won eleven titles in thirteen seasons. Only when Russell retired did the era of dominance end.Lew Freedman grew up attending Celtics games, from his first game as a boy in 1960 until he befriended the players and team management as an adult. Based on dozens of interviews and courtside observation, Freedman reveals how he was swept up in dramatic moments both on and off the floor. A great book about a sports town, the greatest players in basketball, and a team that won eleven titles in thirteen seasons.