Tag: fred saunders

On this day: Celtics McCarty, DeClercq born; Saunders traded; Kite cut

On this day in Boston Celtics history, Walter McCarty and Andrew DeClercq were born, Fred Saunders was traded and Greg Kite was waived.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics forward Walter Lee McCarty was born in Evansville, Indiana back in 1974. McCarty played collegiately for the University of Kentucky under future Celtics coach and President of Basketball Operations Rick Pitino before being picked up with the 19th overall selection of the 1996 NBA draft by the New York Knicks.

He played 35 games there before being traded to the Celtics with Scott Brooks, Dontae’ Jones, and John Thomas in October 1997 for Chris Mills and draft assets, where he played for a total of eight seasons before being traded to the Phoenix Suns for a 2007 second-round draft pick.

The Kentucky alum would average 5.7 points and 2.8 boards per game in his time in green and white as a player, and would later return to serve as an assistant coach with Boston from 2013 to 2018.

Every player in Boston Celtics history who wore No. 20

Today’s installment focuses on the 31 players who wore No. 20 over the years as of August 2023.

The Boston Celtics have more retired jerseys than any other team in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean the rest of their jerseys have little history of interest tied to them.

In fact, with 17 titles to their name and decades of competitive basketball, their unretired jersey numbers pack in some of the most history not hanging from the rafters of any team in the league. To that end, we have launched our accounting of that history with every player in every jersey worn by more than one Celtics player in the storied franchise’s history accounted for.

Today’s installment focuses on the 31 players who wore No. 20 over the years as of August 2023.

On this day: Celtics beat Lakers 92-86 in G5 of 2010 NBA Finals; Saunders, Garfinkle born

On this day, the Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers 92-86 in Game 5 of the 2010 NBA Finals to take a 3-2 series lead.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 92-86 in Game 5 of the 2010 NBA Finals despite 38 points and 5 rebounds from Lakers star Kobe Bryant, giving the Celtics a 3-2 series lead.

“It was our biggest game of the year,” Pierce said at the time via the Associated Press. “We’re in a good spot. We have two games in L.A.; now we have to get one.” The win would put Boston within one game of their 18th banner, but it would ultimately elude them with the Lakers taking the series in seven games.

The contest was won with 27 points from forward Paul Pierce, 18 points and 10 rebounds from big man Kevin Garnett, and 18 points and 8 assists from point guard Rajon Rondo.

On this day: Fitch resigns; Lakers crushed in Game 1 of ’85 NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics saw head coach Bill Fitch resign on this day in 1983. Two years later, they trounced the Lakers in Game 1 of the 1985 NBA Finals.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics small forward Fred Saunders signed with the team as a free agent in 1976. Saunders played his college ball with the Syracuse Orangemen before being drafted in the second round with the 31st pick in the 1974 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns.

Chocolate Thunder — as he was sometimes called — played for the Suns for two full seasons before joining Boston, with which he played just two seasons, averaging a total of 5.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1 assist over 13.8 minutes per game with the franchise over that stretch.

He was dealt to the New Orleans Jazz for draft assets in 1978. He played 30 games before being waived in his final stop in the NBA.

On this day: Celtics McCarty, DeClercq born; Saunders traded; Kite cut

On this day in Boston Celtics history, Walter McCarty and Andrew DeClercq were born, Fred Saunders was traded and Greg Kite was waived.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics forward Walter Lee McCarty was born in Evansville, Indiana back in 1974. McCarty played collegiately for the University of Kentucky under future Celtics coach and President of Basketball Operations Rick Pitino before being picked up with the 19th overall selection of the 1996 NBA draft by the New York Knicks.

He played 35 games there before being traded to the Celtics with Scott Brooks, Dontae’ Jones, and John Thomas in October of 1997 for Chris Mills and draft assets, where he played for a total of eight seasons before being traded to the Phoenix Suns for a 2007 second-round draft pick.

The Kentucky alum would average 5.7 points and 2.8 boards per game in his time in green and white as a player, and would later return to serve as an assistant coach with Boston from 2013 to 2018.

On this day: Fitch resigns; Lakers crushed in Game 1 of ’85 NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics saw head coach Bill Fitch resign on this day in 1983. Two years later, they trounced the Lakers in Game 1 of the 1986 NBA Finals.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics small forward Fred Saunders signed with the team as a free agent in 1976. Saunders played his college ball with the Syracuse Orangemen before being drafted in the second round with the 31st pick in the 1974 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns.

Chocolate Thunder — as he was sometimes called — played for the Suns for two full seasons before joining Boston, with which he played just two seasons, averaging a total of 5.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1 assist over 13.8 minutes per game with the franchise over that stretch.

He was dealt to the New Orleans Jazz for draft assets in 1978. He played 30 games before being waived in his final stop in the NBA.

On this day: Celtics beat Lakers 92-86 in Game 5 of 2010 NBA Finals

On this day, the Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers 92-86 in Game 5 of the 2010 NBA Finals to take a 3-2 series lead.

On this day in 2010, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 92-86 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals despite 38 points and 5 rebounds from Lakers star Kobe Bryant, giving the Celtics a 3-2 series lead.

“It was our biggest game of the year,” Pierce said at the time via the Associated Press. “We’re in a good spot. We have two games in L.A.; now we have to get one.”

The win would put Boston within one game of their 18th banner, but it would ultimately elude them with the Lakers taking the series in seven games.

The contest was won with 27 points from forward Paul Pierce, 18 points and 10 rebounds from big man Kevin Garnett, and 18 points and 8 assists from point guard Rajon Rondo.

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On this day: Fitch resigns; Lakers crushed in Game 1 of ’85 NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics saw head coach Bill Fitch resign on this day in 1983. Two years later, they would trounce the Lakers in Game 1 of the 1986 NBA Finals.

On this day in 1976, former Boston Celtics small forward Fred Saunders signed with the team as a free agent.

Saunders played his college ball with the Syracuse Orangemen before being drafted 31st overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 1974 NBA Draft.

He would play for the Suns for two seasons before joining Boston, where he played just two seasons, averaging 5.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1 assist over 13.8 minutes per game.

He would be dealt to the New Orleans Jazz for draft assets in 1978, where he would play just 30 games before being waived, his final stop in the NBA.

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