The 2004–05 Boston Celtics season was the 59th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season is memorable when the team hired Doc Rivers to be their head coach for the upcoming season. In the offseason, the Celtics acquired Gary Payton and Rick Fox in a trade (the latter would retire instead) from the Los Angeles Lakers for Chucky Atkins and Chris Mihm. At midseason, Payton and Tom Gugliotta were traded to the Atlanta Hawks for former Celtic forward Antoine Walker. Payton would never suit up for the Hawks and was released shortly after. He then re-signed with the Celtics afterwards.

Despite a mediocre 45–37 record, the Celtics earned the number 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. They fell to the Indiana Pacers in a seven-game first round series. Boston did not return to the playoffs until 2008. Following the season, Walker was traded to the Miami Heat while Payton went along with him signing as a free agent with the Heat.

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