Tag: 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals

On this day: Cavs eliminated in 2010 East semis; Tony Harris born; Jayson Tatum gets 46 vs. Bucks

On this day in 2010, the Boston Celtics eliminated LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East semis, and former Celtic Tony Harris was born.

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.

On this day: Howell, Siegfried and Bryant lost in ’70 expansion draft

The Celtics lost Bailey Howell, Em Bryant, and Larry Siegfried in the 1970 Expansion draft held today in that year.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team would lose three players to the 1970 NBA expansion draft. The draft — the fifth expansion draft in league history — was held to populate the rosters of three new teams joining the NBA, the Buffalo Braves (which would one day become the Celtics, but that is another story), Cleveland Cavaliers, and Portland Trail Blazers.

Former Celtics point guard Emmette “Em” Bryant would be drafted by the Braves after just two seasons with Boston between 1968 and 1970, with whom he won a championship in 1969, the Celtics’ last until the mid-seventies. The Chicago native holds the distinction of being one of the only players in NBA history to have been selected in multiple expansion drafts after having been selected from the New York Knicks by the Phoenix Suns in the 1968 expansion draft as well.

Bryant averaged 6.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game in his two seasons with Boston.

On this day: Danny Ainge hired as GM; Rondo scores 28 points, 18 rebounds, 13 assists vs. Cavs

On this date, the Boston Celtics hired former player Danny Ainge as general manager, and Rajon Rondo went off for 28 points, 18 boards, and 13 assists vs. the Cavs.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, onetime Team President and shooting guard Danny Ainge was hired by the franchise in 2003 in his present capacity. Ainge replaced outgoing President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace, who had been with the team in that role since replacing Rick Pitino in 2001.

Ainge had a successful tenure as President of Basketball Operations, winning a title in the 2007-08 NBA season, and making an NBA Finals appearance two seasons later in 2010. His ability to seemingly always get the best of a deal has earned him the moniker “Trader Danny”, ranging from acquiring the contracts of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to forge the team that won Banner 17.

Perhaps his best-known trade was moving Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets in 2013 which netted what would prove to be one of the most uneven returns in league history.