On this day in 1976, Boston Celtics power forward Paul Silas of the Boston Celtics became the third player in NBA history to pull own 10,000 rebounds (Bill Russell and Bill Bridges were the other two) before he had scored as many points.
Silas is a native of Arkansas who played college ball with the Creighton Bluejays and in the NBA with the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns before coming to the Celtics, where he won championships in 1974 and 1976.
The milestone came in a 93-83 loss to the Buffalo Braves, with Silas logging 10 points and 15 rebounds in the defeat.
It is also the anniversary of Boston tying an NBA record in 1986 with 27 consecutive home wins after they defeated the then-New Jersey Nets 122-117, equaling the total set by the then-Minneapolis Lakers in 1950.
The Celtics would extend their record to 38 games into the next season, finally losing to the Washington Bullets at Hartford Civic Center on Dec. 2, 1986.
In 2008 on this date, Boston limited the Miami Heat to a mere 17 field goals in an 88-62 blowout. This is the the lowest number of field goals in any NBA game since the introduction of the shot clock in 1954.
It is also the date of three Boston victories since the season of their last championship in 2007-08.
The first was the aforementioned 88-62 blowout of Miami in 2008, and post-game, Paul Pierce did not hold back with his criticism of the team the Heat fielded that season.
“Man, I am going to tell you the truth,” he began (via the Associated Press). “They got D-Leaguers out there, so I think we just handled our business,” said Pierce, referring to the NBA’s developmental league before it changed its name to the G League.
“We’re supposed to do that. We knew this was a game we were supposed to win, and we just focused from the jump and went out and did it.”
On this day in 2008, the #Celtics held the #Heat to an #NBA record low 17 field goals in a single game pic.twitter.com/vskRAZLoxK
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) March 30, 2016
It is also the date Boston blew out the Minnesota Timberwolves 100-79, with then-35-year-old Garnett putting up a 24-point, 10-rebound performance to defeat his former team.
“I think KG took it personal tonight,” Minnesota’s Anthony Tolliver said courtesy of the Associated Press. “I’m sure he’s been hearing a lot of stuff about Kevin Love being the best power forward in the league.”
Finally, on this day in in 2015, the Celtics won a hard fought game against then-Charlotte point guard Kemba Walker’s Hornets.
The Massachusetts franchise won 116-104 despite 28 points and 12 assists from the UConn product, who mounted an intense assault in the final frame that ultimately fell short.
Boston moved back into eight place in the East to put themselves back into playoff contention with a 30-point, 8-rebound outing for guard Avery Bradley.
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