On this day: Bill Walton inducted into Hall of Fame; Adams passes; Boston advances in several series
On this day in Boston Celtics history, champion center and one of the NBA’s 75 greatest players to play the game William Theodore Walton III (better known as Bill) was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.
An NCAA champion under iconic head coach John Wooden at UCLA, the California native was selected with the first overall pick of the 1974 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, for whom he played for four seasons, winning an NBA title there in 1977. He also played for the Clippers in both their San Diego and Los Angeles incarnations before being dealt to the Celtics in 1985.
The La Mesa native would win a second title with Boston in 1986 before constant pain from injuries forced his retirement in 1987.
(Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
It is also the anniversary of the passing of former Celtics president and trustee Clarence H. Adams, who helmed the team on the business side of things during the era the club was owned by National Equities Inc.
President of the team between 1967 and 1968, Adams passed away in 1987 — rest in peace.
(AP Photo/Paul Benoit)
It is also the date that the team defeated the Detroit Pistons 123-113 in Game 6 of the 1985 NBA Eastern Conference semifinals, defeating the Pistons six games to two.
The Celtics won despite 37 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists from Detroit star point guard Isiah Thomas.
Boston’s Danny Ainge (left) and Milwaukee’s Sidney Moncrief tangle as Larry Bird looks on during second-quarter action in the Eastern Conference semifinals at the Milwaukee Arena in 1987 (Tom Lynn/Milwaukee Journal)
Two years to the day later, Boston beat the Milwaukee Bucks 138-137 in a double-overtime nail-biter in Game 4 of the 1987 NBA Eastern Conference semifinals.
Boston won due to a 42-point explosion from Bird, who also had 7 rebounds and 8 assists.
Forward Kevin McHale added 34 points and 11 rebounds, and Johnson added 19 points and 12 assists.
Boston Celtics forward Glen Davis (11) lays in a basket past Orlando Magic’s Marcin Gortat (13), of Poland, during the first half of a second-round NBA playoff basketball game in Orlando, Fla., Sunday, May 10, 2009. The Celtics won 95-94. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)
Today is also the anniversary of another postseason squeaker, the Celtics beating the Orlando Magic 95-94 in Game 4 of the 2009 NBA Eastern Conference semifinals.
Glen Davis hit the winning shot in the game’s final moments, left open for an easy bucket that sealed the contest. “This is really neat,” he said via the Associated Press. “This is my first time, so bear with me.”
“Big Baby” filled in for an injured Kevin Garnett well, logging 21 points and 6 boards, and Paul Pierce led all Celtics with 27 points. Point guard Rajon Rondo added 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists.
Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford, center, is trapped by Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (5) and guard Ray Allen (20) on a drive to the basket during the second quarter of Game 6 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Boston, Thursday, May 10, 2012. The Celtics won 83-80 and won the series 4-2 to advance to the second round. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
In 2012, Boston defeated the Atlanta Hawks 83-80 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first round, sending the Hawks fishing four games to two.
After being called the “dirtiest guy in the league” by an Atlanta owner, Garnett responded with a 28-point, 14-rebound, 3-steal, and 5-block performance to seal the series.
Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, right, pauses as he fakes Atlanta Hawks power forward Josh Smith to leap on a drive to the basket in the second quarter of Game 6 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Boston, Thursday, May 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
“Thank you to their owner for giving me some extra gas tonight,” Garnett exclaimed via the A.P. “My only advice to him is next time he opens his mouth to know what he’s talking about with X’s and O’s versus checkbooks and bottom lines.”
Pierce added 18 points and Rondo 14 more and 8 assists.
May 10, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) during the first quarter in game five of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Finally, the Celtics defeated the Washington Wizards 123-101 in Game 5 of the 2017 NBA Eastern Conference semifinals behind a playoff career-high 29 points from guard Avery Bradley.
Big man Al Horford added 19 points, 7 assists, and 6 boards while point guard Isaiah Thomas chipped in 18 points and 9 assists.
“The great start kind of got us going on both ends of the floor,” Bradley said courtesy of the A.P. “Tonight we saw if we’re able to start the right way, the game’s in our control.”
