The 1998–99 NBA season was the 53rd season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. The Celtics continued to build with youth as they selected Paul Pierce out of the University of Kansas with the tenth pick in the 1998 NBA draft, while acquiring second-year center Tony Battie from the Los Angeles Lakers. Pierce would get off to a fast start as he was named Rookie of The Month in February, after the season was delayed by a four-month lockout. However, after a 7–7 start to the season, the Celtics struggled losing ten of their next eleven games, as they traded Andrew DeClercq to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Vitaly Potapenko. The Celtics finished fifth in the Atlantic Division with a 19–31 record, as fans began to get restless with Rick Pitino's slow growth. Pierce averaged 16.5 points per game and made the All-Rookie First Team. Following the season, second-year star Ron Mercer was traded to the Denver Nuggets, and Bruce Bowen signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers.

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