On this day in Boston Celtics history, forward Antoine Walker scored a triple-double in a 99-87 loss to the Charlotte Hornets back in 2000. The Kentucky product put up 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists with 1 foul and 6 turnovers in a little under 45 minutes of playing time in the losing effort by Boston.
He would hit a mere 7 of his 20 field goal attempts that evening and just one of his seven 3-point attempts, a likely significant factor in the loss — though Walker did connect on 5 of his 6 trips to the charity stripe that night.
Teammate Paul Pierce added 19 points and 5 rebounds and Bryant Stith chipped in another 14, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win for Boston.
Caris LeVert’s 48 points are a franchise record for points scored in Boston and the second-most points a Net has ever tallied against the Celtics.
The previous high? 52 points for Mike Newlin in 1979 in New Jersey.
— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) March 4, 2020
It is also on this day in 1979 that the Celtics saw (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets shooting guard Mike Newlin hang 52 points on the Celtics, tied for the sixth-most points any player has scored in a game against Boston.
The incredible performance came in a loss for the Nets however, the Celtics coming away with a 115-112 overtime win on the road, the game played at the Nets’ home arena for their fourth season in the NBA, Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway, New Jersey.
Dec 16, 1979: Mike Newlin of the Nets scored 52 points in a 115-112 loss to the Celtics. http://t.co/EOyN8zhDFZ
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) December 16, 2013
Newlin’s full stat line was 52 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal in 49 minutes of play with 3 fouls and 4 turnovers.
He shot 19-of-28 overall and hit one of his three attempts from beyond the arc while going 13-of-15 from the charity stripe, yet again not enough for Boston’s opponent to come away with a victory.
Finally, it is also the birthday of former Celtics forward Bennie Swain, who came into this world in 1933 in Talladega, Alabama,
Swain would play collegiately at Texas Southern University and led the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in scoring in the 1957-58 season, earning him NAIA All-American honors.
Happy birthday in heaven Bennie Swain. Boston Celtics. Champion. pic.twitter.com/d7lHveurz1
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) December 16, 2020
That got him on the radar of the Celtics, who picked him up with the seventh overall selection of the 1958 NBA draft.
He would only play a single season for the franchise in 1958-59, but won a title with them in it, averaging 4.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
