Tag: gene conley

On this day: Dave Cowens leave of absence begins; Kendrick Perkins, Gene Conley born; Chuck Connors passes

On this day in Celtics history, Dave Cowens stepped away from the team for a time, Kendrick Perkins and Gene Conely were born, and Chuck Connors left us.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, Hall of Fame big man Dave Cowens took a leave of absence from the team after several days of trying to get permission from team owner Irv Levin and legendary Celtics general manager Red Auerbach.

Cowens never revealed what caused him to want the break — it came after a four-game losing streak in a season that saw friend Paul Silas traded away while Cowens was embroiled in a lawsuit, any of which or all could have been the culprit. “Dave came into my office today, and said he’s got a lot of personal problems and feels he can’t play,” said Auerbach via the AP’s Dave O’Hara.

“These things happen,” added Red. “He’s a fantastic human being and sincere. This is a shock to everyone, no one anticipated it. I ache.”

Every player in Boston Celtics history who wore No. 17

Today’s installment focuses on the 11 players who wore No. 17 over the years as of September 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 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 11 players who wore No. 17 over the years as of September 2023.

On this day: Gordon Hayward agrees to sign; Griffin, Lucas born; Gene Conley passes

On this day, Boston Celtics All-Star forward Gordon Hayward agreed to sign with the team after his agent initially denied he planned to do so.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team landed All-Star forward Gordon Hayward in 2017 after the Indiana native penned a letter in The Player’s Tribune announcing his decision to leave the Utah Jazz to sign with the Celtics.

Earlier in the day, his agent had denied reports by ESPN NBA insider Chris Haynes that the unrestricted free agent would sign with Boston, but the former Butler player opted for a largely ill-fated reunion with his college coach, Brad Stevens, who had left the collegiate ranks to join the Celtics in the same role in 2013.

“There were so many great things pulling me in that direction,” Hayward explained. “There was the winning culture of Boston, as a city — from the (Red) Sox to the (New England) Pats to the (Boston) Bruins.

On this day: Sharman trade; Conley draft; Wagner, Morrison born; ’64 title won

On this day, the Celtics traded for Bill Sharman, drafted Gene Conley and won their seventh title in 1964.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, shooting guard Bill Sharman was dealt to the Celtics in 1951 from the (then) Fort Wayne (now, Detroit) Pistons, who in turn had picked up Sharman early in the year in a dispersal draft from the now-defunct Washington Capitals.

Sharman, a native of Abilene, Texas, had played his college ball with the University of Southern California before being drafted by the Capitals in 1950 with the 17th overall pick of that year’s draft. Sharman would go on to play ten seasons for Boston, winning four championships and being elected to eight All-Star games (winning All-Star MVP in 1955) and seven All-NBA teams over that stretch.

He would retire as a player in 1961 to go into coaching and would become the first person in North American sports history to win titles as a player, coach, and executive.

On this day: Dave Cowens leave of absence begins; Kendrick Perkins, Gene Conley born; Chuck Connors passes

On this day in Celtics history, Dave Cowens stepped away from the team for a time, Kendrick Perkins and Gene Conely were born, and Chuck Connors left us.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, Hall of Fame big man Dave Cowens took a leave of absence from the team after several days of trying to get permission from team owner Irv Levin and legendary Celtics general manager Red Auerbach.

Cowens never revealed what caused him to want the break — it came after a four-game losing streak in a season that saw friend Paul Silas traded away while Cowens was embroiled in a lawsuit, any of which or all could have been the culprit. “Dave came into my office today, and said he’s got a lot of personal problems and feels he can’t play,” said Auerbach via the AP’s Dave O’Hara.

“These things happen,” added Red. “He’s a fantastic human being and sincere. This is a shock to everyone, no one anticipated it. I ache.”

Every Boston Celtics player who never lost an NBA Finals series

Let’s take a look at all the Boston players who never lost a Finals series with more than two appearances.

Which Boston Celtics never lost a game in the NBA Finals?

While the Celtics have a large number of players who can say they never have, it might surprise you that the greatest winner of all time is not on that list. The Celtics’ loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the 1958 NBA Finals is to blame for 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell missing the list.

But many of his teammates appear on the list as do a few other former Celtics from later years when Boston was a regular visitor to the finals.

Let’s take a look at all the Boston players who never lost a finals series with more than two appearances.

On this day: Gordon Hayward agrees to sign; Griffin, Lucas born; Gene Conley passes

On this day, Boston Celtics All-Star forward Gordon Hayward agreed to sign with the team after his agent initially denied he planned to do so.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team landed All-Star forward Gordon Hayward in 2017 after the Indiana native penned a letter in The Player’s Tribune announcing his decision to leave the Utah Jazz to sign with the Celtics.

Earlier in the day, his agent had denied reports by ESPN NBA insider Chris Haynes that the unrestricted free agent would sign with Boston, but the former Butler player opted for a largely ill-fated reunion with his college coach, Brad Stevens, who had left the collegiate ranks to join the Celtics in the same role in 2013.

“There were so many great things pulling me in that direction,” Hayward explained. “There was the winning culture of Boston, as a city — from the (Red) Sox to the (New England) Pats to the (Boston) Bruins.

On this day: ’65 championship won; Sharman, Conley join the team

On this day, the Boston Celtics won their seventh NBA championship and sixth in a row; they also traded for guard Bill Sharman and drafted forward Gene Conley on this date.

On this day, the Boston Celtics won the 1964 NBA Championship, the team’s eighth and seventh in a row as the franchise’s 1960s dynasty began to hit its stride.

It was a 105-99 victory over the San Francisco Warriors in Game 5 of the series, Boston only losing one game the whole way through.

Forward Tommy Heinsohn led the team with 19 points and 8 rebounds, wing Frank Ramsey and guard Sam Jones each added 18 points, and big man Bill Russell put up 14 points, 26 rebounds and 6 assists.

It was the first time rivals Russell and Wilt Chamberlain met in the Finals; they would again in 1969.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6