Bill Russell lost 25 games in his career during the NBA Finals.
Despite his legendary dominance, Bill Russell, who holds the record for the most NBA championships won by a player, did experience defeats in individual games during the championship series. Throughout his illustrious career, he fell short 25 times in the NBA Finals. This total includes games lost even in series where his Boston Celtics ultimately clinched the championship.
Russell's overall record in the NBA Finals is extraordinary, as he participated in 12 Finals series and led the Celtics to 11 championships. The two NBA Finals series his team did not win were in 1958 against the St. Louis Hawks and in 1967 against the Philadelphia 76ers. Even within the championship-winning seasons, individual game losses contributed to this tally.
Here are a few examples of games Bill Russell lost in the NBA Finals:
| Game Number | Player | Date of Loss |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B. Russell | March 30, 1957 |
| 2 | B. Russell | March 31, 1957 |
| 3 | B. Russell | April 6, 1957 |
| 4 | B. Russell | April 7, 1957 |
For comprehensive statistics on Bill Russell's NBA Finals appearances and game-by-game results, you can explore detailed sports databases like StatMuse.
