On this day in Boston Celtics history in 1973, legendary Celtic small forward John Havlicek hit 24 field goals on his way to a career performance in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, matching a record held today by only the likes of NBA all-time greats Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan. The game was a blowout, with the Massachusetts franchise winning 134-109 behind Havlicek’s record-setting performance.
Hondo’s 54-point game needed all 48 minutes of game time for him to produce, and came in a series against the Atlanta Hawks that Boston would eventually win four games to two,
Boston would eventually fall to Phil Jackson and Walt Frazier’s New York Knicks in the East Conference finals four games to three as New York went on to win its second and last NBA title.
Happy birthday Bobby Wilson! #Celtics pic.twitter.com/p3Iu3aOuuk
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) January 15, 2021
It was also on this date that shooting guard Bobby Wilson was waived by the Celtics in 1977, signed earlier in the season by the team in free agency.
Wilson played his college ball at Wichita State and was picked up by the Chicago Bulls with the 52nd overall pick of the 1974 NBA draft, where he would play two seasons before being waived in October of 1976.
Or maybe Bobby Wilson, who played for the Bulls and Celtics in the 70s?! pic.twitter.com/SG8sErd88E
— Frosty Bias ☘️ (@FrostyBias) November 6, 2020
He would then be signed by the Celtics in January of 1977, but only lasted A few months with the team before they cut him on this date in the same year.
Wilson averaged 2 points and 0.6 assists per game over the 25 games he played for Boston.
In 2016, Boston snapped the Golden State Warriors’ 54-game home winning streak 109-106 on the road in Oakland, California with a 22-point performance from Isaiah Thomas. “Everybody’s bummed,” said head coach Steve Kerr of the Warriors’ loss via the AP.
“I congratulated them. Are you kidding me? They just won 54 home games in a row. What our guys accomplished is incredible. I don’t know if people understand the intensity it takes and the work that it takes to put together a streak like that.”
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