On this day in Boston Celtics history, Boston Celtics icon Tommy Heinsohn scored 45 points in the Celtics’ 127-122 win over the Syracuse Nationals (now, the Philadelphia 76ers) on the road in 1961.
It remains the record for points scored in a Christmas Day game by a Celtic player (point guards Kyrie Irving and Bob Cousy hold the next two highest scores on that day, 40 and 35 points, respectively). It was the most points scored by the Hall of Fame power forward in any game of his storied career.
The Holy Cross alumnus went on to win his fifth title with the team later that season, but he played a game for the ages that holiday tilt first.