On this day in Boston Celtics history, small forward Jiri Welsch was born in Pardubice, in what is today the Czech Republic in 1980. Welsh began his basketball career in Europe playing for BK JIP Pardubice of the Czech Republic League, CSA Sparta Prague, and Union Olimpija Ljubljana before being picked up by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16th overall pick of the 2002 NBA draft.
He was dealt to the Golden State Warriors on draft night for future draft assets and would play with them for one season before being dealt again, this time to the Dallas Mavericks in the offseason.
Welsch would be traded yet again soon after, this time to the Boston Celtics for Antoine Walker and Tony Delk.
The Czech forward played parts of two seasons with the Celtics, over which he averaged 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2 assists per game.
In February 2005, Boston traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers for future draft assets, and Welsch would finish the season with that franchise. He played one more season in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks before returning to Europe to close out his career.
It is also the date of the Celtics’ last consecutive double-overtime games, which occurred in 2013.
The first was a 111-123 loss to the Atlanta Hawks that saw big man Kevin Garnett lead the Celtics with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
The next was a 100-98 win over the Miami Heat that saw Garnett lead Boston with a nearly identical stat line — 24 points and 11 boards.
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