On this day: Celtics, NBA founded; Win 1976 championship, their 13th

On this day, the NBA was founded as the Basketball Association of America, and the Celtics won their 13th championship in 1976.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team joined together with 10 other franchises to start the Basketball Association of America, which would absorb the teams from the rival National Basketball League three years later to become the organization now known as the NBA.

The original teams on the league’s founding included the Washington Capitals, the (then) Philadelphia (now Golden State) Warriors, the New York Knicks, the Providence Steamrollers, and Toronto Huskies (both defunct) who joined Boston in the East. The Chicago Stags, St. Louis Bombers, Cleveland Rebels, Detroit Falcons, and Pittsburgh Ironmen (all defunct) populated the nascent league’s Western Conference.

Maurice Podoloff was named the league’s first president (the title later being changed to commissioner), and teams played either 60 or 61 regular-season games. The Warriors beat the Stags four games to one to secure the first BAA/NBA championship.

On this day: triple OT win vs. Suns in G5 of ’76 Finals; Chaney drafted

The Boston Celtics outlasted the Phoenix Suns in a 128-126 triple-overtime Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team survived a 128-126 triple-overtime slugfest with the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals for what was at that time the longest Finals game in league history.

Point guard Jo Jo White of the Celtics led Boston with 33 points, and forward John Havlicek would nail a 15-foot bank shot to send the game to its second overtime. At the end of that extra period, Phoenix forward Gar Heard scored a buzzer-beating trey to force the third extra period, with Heard setting a record for minutes played in a Finals game at 61 minutes. That record would stand until 1993 when the Suns and Chicago Bulls would go to triple-overtime and Phoenix’s Kevin Johnson playing 62 minutes.

Boston would go on to win the series two days later and secure their 13th banner.

Celtics alums Kevin Garnett, Tony Allen on whether Doc Rivers should have been fired by the 76ers

Allen and KG talk Doc’s exit from Philadelphia, his past and future, what will happen with James Harden and more.

After having won a title with him as his head coach in 2008, it’s safe to say that Hall of Fame Boston Celtics big man Kevin Garnett knows Doc Rivers about as well as anyone in the wider NBA community. So The Big Ticket is an especially worthwhile voice to listen to as KG discusses whether it was fair of Rivers’ last team — the Philadelphia 76ers — to let him go after their former team (the Celtics) beat Philly in the 2023 East semis.

Garnett is joined in the conversation with former Celtics champ Tony Allen on a recent episode of the Showtime Basketball “KG Certified” podcast, where the two talk Doc’s exit from Philadelphia, his past and future, what will happen with James Harden and more.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what KG and the Grindfather had to say about some Eastern Conference post-playoff fallout.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Did the Philadelphia 76ers bring Joel Embiid back too soon vs. the Boston Celtics?

Was it a mistake to bring Joel Embiid back in Game 2? Did the 76ers make a mistake by bringing him in too early after taking Game 1?

After being named the 2022-23 Most Valuable Player, star Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid returedn to the 76ers’ starting lineup after missing two games and nearly two weeks with an LCL sprain in his right knee.

The return didn’t go as well as he would have hoped. Philadelphia was blown out, 121-8,7 by the Boston Celtics in Game 2 Wednesday night.

Outside of a monstrous five blocks (all in the first half), Embiid was relatively quiet — still clearly hampered by his injury.

Was it a mistake to bring Joel Embiid back in Game 2? Did the 76ers make a mistake by bringing him in too early after taking Game 1?

Join the hosts of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast Bobby Manning and Josue Pavon as they discuss Joel Embiid in his return to play against Boston on Wednesday evening.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Did the Philadelphia 76ers bring Joel Embiid back too soon vs. the Boston Celtics?

Was it a mistake to bring Joel Embiid back in Game 2? Did the 76ers make a mistake by bringing him in too early after taking Game 1?

After being named the 2022-23 Most Valuable Player, star Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid made his return to the 76ers’ starting lineup after missing time with an LCL sprain afflicting one of his knees. However, things didn’t go as well as he would have hoped, as Philadelphia was blown out 121-87 by the Boston Celtics in Game 2 Wednesday night.

Outside of a monstrous 5 blocks (all in the first half, at that), Embiid was relatively quiet for much of the contest and was still clearly hampered by his injury with the way he was playing in Game 2.

Was it a mistake to bring Joel Embiid back in Game 2? Did the 76ers make a mistake by bringing him in too early after taking Game 1?

Join the hosts of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast Bobby Manning and Josue Pavon as they discuss Joel Embiid in his return to play against Boston on Wednesday evening.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics champion Paul Silas was a key part of Boston’s 1976 title … by being ignored

Silas was instrumental in overtime of Game 5 to the 1976 title, but an easy mistake at the end of regulation could have been devastating.

The Boston Celtics and NBA community lost Paul Silas this month, a key part of two Celtics’ titles in the 1970s. The Creighton alumnus was famously part of the triple-overtime Game 5 win over the Phoenix Suns during that tenure and played a key role in the victory.

With the game tied at 101 with 3 seconds left in regulation, Silas mistakenly called a timeout Boston didn’t have, but the referee did not hear him or ignored him, saving the Celtics from a technical foul that could have very well have changed the course of the series that was tied at 2.

“Silas called a timeout, and they ignored it,” shared Boston backup forward Glenn McDonald to Sportscasting’s Mike Thomas. And while the Oakland native nearly cost the team the game, his play in the subsequent overtime was also key in winning it.

“That’s all right with me,” explained Silas to The Arizona Republic’s Bob Young. “I did. I tried to call one and Richie Powers didn’t see me or didn’t want to see me.”

“He didn’t acknowledge it. I know they feel if he had, it would have been a different ending. Bottom line is that he didn’t and we got another ring.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston Celtics champion forward Paul Silas: An NBA career in photos

Rest in Peace to a giant of the league.

Paul Silas, a three-time NBA champion — two of which he won playing for the Boston Celtics —  has passed away. A native of Prescott, Arkansas who played for Creighton collegiately, Silas was drafted with the 10th overall pick of the 1964 NBA draft by the organization that is today the Atlanta Hawks (then based out of St. Louis, Missouri).

Silas would play for that team, the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and Seattle SuperSonics (today’s Oklahoma City Thunder) in addition to the Celtics as a decorated player. The two-time All-Star forward would go on to have a three-decade career as an assistant and head coach in the NBA before retiring in 2012.

Let’s take a look at his career in photos.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

Boston Celtics alumni, NBA react to Paul Silas’ passing

The Creighton standout played for Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and Seattle SuperSonics organizations over the course of his career as a player beyond Boston.

Three-time NBA champion Boston Celtics alumnus Paul Silas has passed away at age 79 per the Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan, sending shockwaves through the wider Celtics alumni and NBA communities.

The Creighton standout played for Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and Seattle SuperSonics organizations over the course of his career as a player beyond Boston, and the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and several other ball clubs as a head or assistant coach over a three-decade career on the other side of the clipboard. Silas’ careers as a player and a coach touched the lives of many around the NBA community, many of whom took to social media to share memories of the Arkansas native’s life.

Let’s take a look at what they had to say about the Celtics champion forward.

–oOo–

Former Boston Celtics champion forward Paul Silas passes away at age 79

In Boston, Silas won two NBA titles in 1974 and 1976, made All-Star again in 1975, and made All-Defensive First Team in 1975 and 1976.

Three-time NBA champion Boston Celtics forward Paul Theron Silas has passed away per the Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan and confirmed by the Houston Rockets, who are coached by Paul’s son, Stephen Silas.

The Prescott, Arkansas, native was born on July 12, 1943, and played his college ball at Creighton. He was drafted 10th overall by the (then) St. Louis Hawks (now, Atlanta).

He played five seasons for the Hawks before being dealt to the Phoenix Suns, with whom he made his first All-Star game in 1972. Silas was dealt to the Celtics at the end of that season in exchange for the rights to Charlie Scott. In Boston, Silas won NBA titles in 1974 and 1976, made All-Star Game again in 1975, and made All-Defensive first team in 1975 and 1976 after a reluctant start with the ball club.

Dealt to the Denver Nuggets in 1976 as part of a three-team deal that netted the Celts Curtis Rowe, Silas played one season in Colorado before being traded to the Seattle SuperSonics, with whom he won his third and final title in 1979.

Silas transitioned into coaching after his playing career ended, working as an assistant with the (then) San Diego Clippers (now, Los Angeles), (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets, New York Knicks, Suns and Charlotte Hornets.

He was the head coach for the Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Bobcats (now, Hornets).

Rest In Peace.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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On this day: NBA founded; Celtics win 1976 championship, their 13th

On this day, the NBA was founded as the Basketball Association of America, and the Celtics won their 13th championship in 1976.

On this day in 1946, the Boston Celtics joined together with 10 other franchises to start the Basketball Association of America, which would absorb the National Basketball League three years later to become the NBA.

The original teams on the league’s founding included the Washington Capitols, the then-Philadelphia Warriors, the New York Knicks, the Providence Steamrollers and Toronto Huskies joined Boston in the East.

The Chicago Stags, St. Louis Bombers, Cleveland Revels, Detroit Falcons and Pittsburgh Ironmen populated the Western Conference.

Maurice Podoloff was named the league’s first president (the title later being changed to commissioner), and eams played either 60 or 61 regular season games.

The Warriors beat the Stags four games to one to secure the first BAA/NBA championship.