Tag: Tommy Heinsohn

Which Boston Celtics have played in the most Game 7s in the postseason?

The storied ball club has a number of their former players on any list of NBA greats who have played in the most Game 7s.

When talking about playing in Game 7s in the history of the  NBA playoffs, fans of the Boston Celtics will not be too surprised to learn the storied club has a number of their former players on any list of NBA greats who have played in the most Game 7s over the course of their careers.

But when you take into account the dominance of the Celtics from the 1950s to the precipice of the 1970s with long stretches of contention in the mid-seventies, the eighties and late aughts, it makes sense that such lists are littered with former Boston players.

Let’s take a look at the record books to find out.

What Boston Celtics have the highest career scoring averages?

There have been some serious Boston Celtics scorers over the nearly seven decades now that Boston has been hanging banners.

As the most storied ball club in the history of the NBA, there have been some serious Boston Celtics scorers over the seven decades now that Boston has been hanging banners.

And while some of the Celtics legends of the past may not have been some especially prolific scorers given their excellence lay in other aspects of the game, plenty of Boston players have proven capable of putting points on the board in a hurry. But who were the best of the best when it comes to the Celtics Hall of Famers (and perhaps future ones) scoring in the 16-game season?

Let’s take a look at the Celtics’ postseason scoring greats.

On this day: Jones, Heinsohn draft; Russell swap; Rivers hire; Bass born; Tatum gets 60

On this day, Boston drafted Bill Russell, KC Jones, and Tommy Heinsohn, hired Doc Rivers as coach, and saw Jayson Tatum score 60.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, veteran center Ed Macauley and small forward Cliff Hagan were traded to the (then) St. Louis (now, Atlanta) Hawks for the second pick in the 1956 NBA draft, which the Celtics would use to select legendary big man Bill Russell. Boston negotiated from a position of strength; head coach and GM Red Auerbach leveraged his relationship with Hawks owner Ben Kerner — a former employer.

Auerbach convinced Celtics owner Walter Brown to lend the (then) Rochester Royals (now, Sacramento Kings) the Ice Capades for a week. The Ice Capades, also owned by Brown, were one of the most popular attractions filling arenas at that time. Mercifully for Boston, there was no Collective Bargaining Agreement to prevent the Royals, who held the first overall pick, from taking Russell first — the other end of the bargain that got the legendary center to the Celtics.

It was in the same draft that the Celtics also took Dan Swartz, Tommy Heinsohn, and KC Jones.

Paul Pierce on how Celtics giants like Tommy Heinsohn helped ease his arrival in Boston

The Truth shared how the Celtics of his day and before it made his transition to the NBA easier.

When future Hall of Fame small forward Paul Pierce was drafted by the Boston Celtics, he had no idea how he would be shaped by an organization he had grown up in southern California rooting against. But The Truth had the good fortune to work with and at times even be mentored by the storied ball club’s legendary figures and current players. Regarding the latter, Antoine Walker and Kenny Anderson helped Pierce find his professionalism.

Regarding the former, showing up to work with Cedric Maxwell, Bill Russell and Tommy Heinsohn in the building had the added advantage of showing young players how to develop championship habits and what it takes to win at the highest level.

To talk about that period of his NBA career, Pierce sat down with team reporter Marc D’Amico on a recent episode of the “View From The Rafters” podcast put together by the Celtics.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what Pierce had to say about his early years in Boston.

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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NBC Sports Boston names Malcolm Brogdon the 2023 Tommy Award winner

Malcolm Brodgon has won this year’s Tommy Award, an annual honor and nod to the late Tommy Heinsohn

Boston Celtics veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon has won the 2022-23 Tommy Award, an honor dedicated to the late, great Celtics champion player, coach, and broadcaster Tommy Heinsohn. This is the third time now that NBC Sports Boston has issued this annual honor.

The single-game Tommy Award itself has been around since 2003, created as a nightly accolade that has since been presented by NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics broadcasters from Heinsohn himself and now others as well. The honor is meant to recognize a player who goes above and beyond with their play and celebrate the important impact a player can have far beyond the stat sheet. Unsurprisingly given the award, Brogdon is one of Boston’s unsung heroes.

He not only provides reliable shooting off the bench, but he has stepped in as a quiet leader for the club. His unselfish play is a critical cog for a deep Celtics roster.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps picks his all-time Boston Celtics starting five

When it comes to all-time great players, the Boston Celtics have had no shortage of them over their seven-plus decades of storied history.

When it comes to all-time great players, the Boston Celtics have had no shortage over their seven-plus decades of storied history.

From Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Tommy Heinsohn and KC Jones to Paul Silas and Jo Jo White all the way up to Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, there has been an embarrassment of riches for Celtics fans to enjoy over the decades. And that’s not even considering more recent Hall of Famers such as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett! So, the mental exercise of coming up with an all-time starting five for Boston is no easy task.

But ESPN reporter Tim Bontemps tackled the project, coming up with his own five greatest Celtics for posterity’s sake.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what they are, and see if they line up with the five greats you would pick yourself.

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: Celtics fire Tommy Heinsohn as coach, hire Tom Sanders

On this day in 1978, the Boston Celtics fired iconic head coach Tommy Heinsohn and hired Celtic champ Tom Sanders to replace him in that role.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the storied franchise fired then-head coach and former champion forward Tommy Heinsohn.

Heinsohn had begun coaching the team after a stint as a broadcaster calling games for local television station WKBG, which he had been doing for 3 seasons after retiring as one of the most decorated players in all of NBA history in 1965, winning 8 titles and a host of other honors. The Holy Cross product was similarly successful as a head coach for the Celtics early on, winning the league’s Coach of the Year honors in 1973 and a pair of titles in 1974 and 1976.

He would also serve as the head coach of the East in All-Star games between 1972 and 1974, and again in 1976.

On this day: Tommy Heinsohn, Ed Macauley, Marvin Kratter pass; Pruitt, Lucas debut

On this day in Boston Celtics history, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Celtics player and coach Tommy Heinsohn passed away.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Celtics player and coach Tommy Heinsohn passed away after a long illness. Heinsohn, who was part of every one of Boston’s NBA-record 17 titles in one form or another, had been broadcasting for much of the time after leaving the team as a coach in the late 1970s and had been calling games with partner Mike Gorman right up until a few months before his passing.

As a player, Heinsohn won 8 banners with the team in his career stretching from 1956 to 1965, 6 All-Star bids, and 4 All-NBA team honors among many others. As a coach, the Holy Cross product would win two more titles in 1974 and 1976, and take home Coach of the Year honors in 1973.

One of only five people ever inducted into the Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, Tommy may yet make it in as a broadcaster as well, a feat yet unmatched in league history. Rest in Peace, Tommy — you are missed.

(AP Photo/J. Walter Green)

Since the 1949-50 season, only one Boston Celtics rookie has led the league in scoring

One would think there would have been more given the storied franchise’s history of drafting gems.

With an NBA-record 17 titles by the Boston Celtics and some of the greatest rookie debuts in the history of the league, one might think the Association’s history is filled with Celtics rookies leading their class in scoring in their first season.

But such an assumption would be wrong — VERY wrong. As one can see in a recent deep dive into the topic by our sister site Rookie Wire, only one Boston rookie has ever led his class in scoring during their rookie season across seven decades of record-keeping.

That wunderkind was not Larry Bird, Kevin McHale or even the mighty Bill Russell.

But if you had guessed Russell, you’d have been close. It was his fellow rookie, Tommy Heinsohn, who managed the feat en route to winning Rookie of the Year honors. He averaged 16.2 points per contest over 72 games in 1956-57.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

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Game 1 of the Finals was a 125-123 …