On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics head coach and current Boston President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens coached his first regular-season game in that role after being hired away from the Butler Bulldogs earlier in the year to head to the Celtics to accept his first NBA job.
The tilt was unfortunately a loss to the Toronto Raptors to start the Stevens era with the franchise, though at least a close one to the tune of 93-87. Stevens’ best performing players were forward Jeff Green with 25 points and 5 rebounds, big man Brandon Bass with 17 points.
The game wasn’t just Stevens’ first with the Celtics.
That night was also the regular-season debut of former Boston reserve guard Phil Pressey, who also had a bit of a stinker in his first NBA game.
The Missouri product pulled down a single rebound, missing both of his field-goal attempts in a little under four minutes of floor time.
Former Boston big man Kelly Olynyk debuted that game as well as the team’s rebuild began in earnest under Stevens.
The Gonzaga product would log a similarly meh first outing, scoring just 4 points with one fewer turnover in a performance that was fortunately not an auspicious one.
Center Vitor Faverani also debuted in that game, and his stat line would make you think his career would have been much longer than it ended up being with Boston.
The Brazilian big man surprised with 13 points and 3 blocks in just under 27 minutes played.
Today is also the date of former Celtic forward Joe Johnson’s debut with the team, a 108-89 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on this date in 2001.
The Arkansas native had a solid inaugural game, scoring 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in just under 33 minutes of play.
Johnson shares that debut date with ex-Celtic center Jared Sullinger, whose first game with Boston was a 120-107 loss to the Miami Heat.
Sully had a bit of a dud to start, scoring just 2 points and a rebound in 8 minutes of floor time, but he’d soon turn things around with his new team.
Current Celtic wing Romeo Langford debuted on this day as well, exactly one year ago in a 116-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
He played just 14 seconds of game time though, and thus was hardly on the court long enough to breathe — never mind score.
Kedrick Brown also debuted on this date in 2001 in a 108-89 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In what was perhaps an auspicious start, the Louisiana native went scoreless in just 5 minutes of floor time.
It was the same game in which shooting guard and 21st pick of the draft for the Celtics that year Joseph Forte made his debut for the team.
The Georgia native scored 2 points, dished out 2 assists, and pulled down a single board in a little less than 13 minutes of game time.
Another duo of Celtics made their debut on this date as well, Red Morrison and Hall of Famer Frank Ramsey. It was in 1954 in a 98-95 loss to the (then) Rochester Royals (now, Sacramento Kings).
Morrison recorded a single point off of a free throw while Ramsey put up an impressive 15 points, hinting at the career to come for the Kentucky product.
And they were not the last Celtics duo to share a debut game, with guards Charles Bradley and Tracy Jackson both playing their first game for Boston in a 124-100 blowout of the (then) Washington Bullets (now, Wizards) in 1981.
Bradley (23rd pick) and Jackson (25th) were both drafted by the Celtics that summer and the former put up 8 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist in 13 minutes on the floor, while the latter played just 7 minutes and recorded 1 point, assist and rebound.
Finally, on this day in 2010, former Boston floor general Rajon Rondo logged a (then) career-high 24 assists in a 105-101 win over the New York Knicks.
The Connect Four wizard outdid himself connecting teammates that night, chipping in 10 points and as many boards to help secure the win.
