On this day: Boston honors Johnny Most retirement; Rajon Rondo scores triple-double vs. Indiana Pacers
On this day in Boston Celtics history, champion floor general Rajon Rondo scored a triple-double in a 114-96 blowout win over the Indiana Pacers in 2008 in front of a home crowd at TD Garden.
The victory came in the Celtics’ 20th game since they had won the 2008 NBA Championship, with the memory of hanging the team’s first championship banner in decades still fresh in the minds of fans — and only two losses to their name to start the 2008-09 season to make it even more exciting. The Kentucky product put up an eye-popping stat line in the beatdown they gave to their Central Division opponent, too.
Rondo logged 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 17 assists to make the triple-double, as well as 3 steals for good measure in just under 41 minutes of game time.
Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
And while he missed his sole attempt from 3-point range, he hit 5 of his 10 field goal attempts on the night, and 6-of-7 attempts from the free-throw line to help secure the win.
Added to solid outings from teammates Ray Allen (31 points), Kevin Garnett (26 points, 14 boards), Kendrick Perkins (16 points, 10 rebounds), and Paul Pierce (16 points), the sizzling start continued for Boston.
AP Photo/J. Walter Green
It is also the date that the Celtics honored longtime broadcaster Johnny Most after he retired from that role with the franchise in 1990.
In a massive ceremony held in the old Boston Garden, Red Auerbach and the rest of the Celtics organization mounted a silver microphone in honor of his 37 years with the team calling games.
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
“When we hired him 37 years ago, nobody ever figured that gravel tone would last,’ said Celtics President Red Auerbach via the UPI’s Frederick Waterman.
“I came to the Celtics in 1953 and I thought I might stay a couple of years,” Most explained to the capacity crowd of 14,890 fans at halftime. “In parting, I will never forget you and I hope you will never forget me,” he added.
And we most certainly have not forgotten the legendary broadcaster, whose iconic plays still are replayed along with some of the storied franchise’s greatest moments.
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