Rise of a Dynasty: The '57 Celtics, the First Banner, and the Dawning of a New America

Reynolds claims the modern-day NBA began on April 13, 1957 during the seventh and deciding game of the 1957 Finals. The Boston Celtics and the St. Louis Hawks met that fateful Saturday in the 11-year-old league's first nationally televised game. After two overtimes, 38 lead changes, and a last-second failed shot, Boston won its first of 17 championships, and almost everything about the pro game changed, thanks largely, the author argues, to the Celtics' dynasty. With controversial rookie center Bill Russell, Boston became the first pro team to consistently put an African American in the starting lineup. Russell's penchant for blocking shots and grabbing rebounds helped dissolve the league's once-plodding style and allowed the Celtics to master the fast break. Reynolds (%E2%80%9878: The Boston Red Sox, A Historic Game, and a Divided City) treats Game Seven as a focal point, but largely ignores the event itself in favor of recreating, with great flare, an era in professional sports that seems quaint today: most NBA players worked off-season jobs and were discouraged against drawing attention to themselves. Primarily a book for Celtic fans, Reynolds's knack for dramatic sportswriting will appeal to history buffs and sports enthusiasts as well. (Nov.)