On this day in 2017, The Boston Celtics defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves behind 27 points from star point guard Isaiah Thomas.
The 43-25 Celtics beat the 28-39 Wolves with help from Thomas, Al Horford (20 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists) and Avery Bradley (18 points) despite a 23-point, 7-assist game from Minnesota’s Ricky Rubio, and 21 points from forwards Andrew Wiggins and Shabazz Muhammad both.
Hoping for a deep playoff run, Horford was happy with how the team responded even if Minnesota wasn’t a particularly deadly team at that time.
“I think we need to understand the sense of urgency. It doesn’t matter who we play, what their record is. We’re playing for bigger things,” said the now-Philadelphia 76ers (via the Associated Press). “So we have to make sure that we start to build these habits.”
While the Celtics would fall short of a banner, they would make a strong showing in the postseason, ultimately falling to the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers 1-4 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
March 15th also happens to be the birthday of three early Boston Celtics — forward Connie Simmons (with Boston in 1946-47 and 1947-48), guard/forward John Janisch (on the Celtics’ roster in 1947-48), and forward/center Brady Walker, who was with Boston in the 1949-50 season.
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