On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Boston big man Hank Finkel was born in Union City, New Jersey in 1942. Finkel would be traded to the Celtics by the (then) San Diego Rockets (now, Houston) for cash considerations in 1969.
He would soon become a regular part of the team’s rotation for some years to come, eventually winning a championship with Boston in 1974. Finkel averaged 4.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game over his six seasons with the team, having been released by Boston in November of 1975. The New Jersey native would remain a media presence in Massachusetts for some years to come, broadcasting for the team and SportsChannel.
He also opened his own office furniture store in Woburn.
(Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Today is also the day that former Celtics owner Marjorie Brown was born in 1911. Wife of founder Walter A. Brown at the time of his passing in 1964, the franchise ownership was split 50/50 between minority owner Louis Pieri and Marjorie after her husband Walter’s death.
Brown retained her ownership stake in the team until both she and Pieri sold their interest in the team in 1965 to the Ruppert Knickerbocker Brewing Company, a subsidiary of Marvin Kratter’s National Equities company.
Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett (5) yells and pounds his chest before the tip-off against the Atlanta Hawks during Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff basketball series in Boston, Sunday, April 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
It is the anniversary of three playoff wins since the season of the Celtics’ last title in 2007-08.
The first was actually the very first game in Boston’s 2008 postseason title run, a 104 – 81 blowout of the Atlanta Hawks.
The Celtics were led by Ray Allen with 18 points and Kevin Garnett with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
“I had to slow down as I ran through the tunnel and to hear the crowd, to hear the building rocking and the bleachers were shaking,” Garnett said of his first playoff experience in four seasons (via ESPN). “I had to take a minute for myself, man, just thank the lord I was back in this position.”
Point guard Rajon Rondo also logged 16 points and 9 assists.
Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) reacts after Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen (20) sank a 3-point shot in the closing second of the Celtics’ 118-115 win in a first-round NBA basketball playoff game in Boston on Monday, April 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
It was also on this date in 2009 that Boston defeated the Chicago Bulls 118 – 115 on a late Allen trey, beating back fellow UConn alum Ben Gordon’s 42-point performance to secure the win and bring the series to a 1 – 1 tie in Game 2.
The former Husky had 30 points of his own to lead the Celtics, with big man Glen Davis logging 26 points and 9 rebounds as well. Rondo added 19 points and 16 assists, and all five starters had double-digit contributions.
“It felt like we were at UConn in the summertime playing pickup,” Gordon said courtesy of the Associated Press. “He is a great shooter and I knew he would break out eventually.”
Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce pumps his fist as he is congratulated by fans after the Celtics beat the Miami Heat 96-86 in Game 5 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, in Boston on Tuesday, April 27, 2010. The Celtics eliminated the Heat from the playoffs. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Finally, Boston crushed the Miami Heat 106 – 77 in 2010 on this date even without Garnett, who was out serving a single-game suspension.
The Celtics took a 2-0 series lead behind Davis’ 23 points and 8 boards, while Allen added 25 points and 5 boards.
“Once we opened up Glen Davis , I thought they started to sink in a little bit more and it opened up Ray,” offered Paul Pierce via the A.P.
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