On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics shooting guard Tony Harris was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1967. Harris played for the University of New Orleans before going undrafted in the 1990 NBA draft, and briefly with the Philadelphia 76ers at the NBA level before landing with Boston as an unrestricted free agent in 1994.
He would play in the Philippines Basketball League (PBL) briefly in the 1992-93 season, scoring 105 points in a game to set a record in that league that still stands today. While Harris played for the Celtics for two seasons, he only appeared in eight games.
He averaged 7.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, and an assist per game over that stretch, as brief as it was.
It is also the anniversary of three playoff wins since the season of the Celtics’ last NBA championship in 2007-08, both over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The first was a 94-85 win in Game 6 of the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals that saw Boston win the series 4-2.
Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 22 points and 12 boards, and point guard Rajon Rondo added 21 points and 12 assists to secure the win. Forward Rasheed Wallace would add 13 points off the bench.
“Winning is gratifying,” Garnett said via the Associated Press. “You’re playing the best team in basketball; the challenge is there; you don’t have to dress it up. One thing we don’t lack is confidence. We’re a veteran team and we understand when it’s time to lock in as a group. I think we did just that. I think the experience is taking over.”
It would be the last game of LeBron James with the Cavs in his first stint with his hometown team, with James joining the Miami Heat in free agency that summer.
Boston also defeated Cleveland with a 108-83 blowout in Game 1 of the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals.
Shooting guard Jaylen Brown led all Celtics with 23 points and 8 rebounds, forward Marcus Morris added 21 points and 10 boards, and big man Al Horford logged 20 points and 6 assists.
Reserve guard Marcus Smart contributed 9 points and 6 assists off the bench.
“The last couple of playoffs, and our meeting at the end of the year, they blew us out of the water,” Smart said via the A.P.
“We’ve got a different team, just like they do, and a lot of younger guys. So for them to see that, and have that feeling like we did tonight, is huge”
Finally, it is also the date that Jayson Tatum put the Celtics on his back in a must-win Game 6 of the 2022 East semis to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 108-95 on the road with one of the best games of his career.
The St. Louis native led all scorers with 46 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block.
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