Exactly seven years to the day of his professional debut as a basketball player in the NBA (he had previously played professionally for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball) on December 9, 1981, champion Boston Celtics shooting guard Danny Ainge played the best game of that NBA career.
The Oregon native led all scorers, putting up 45 points — 18 of them in the game’s fourth quarter alone — in a 121 – 107 home win over the Philadelphia 76ers at the old Boston Garden. Ainge shot a sizzling 20-of-29 from the floor overall, 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and hit 3-of-4 shots from the free-throw line in 37 minutes of game time.
To honor the best game of the career of a beloved Boston Celtic, watch the video embedded below, put together for our viewing pleasure by CLNS Media. And be sure to check out their “NBA History and Legends on CLNS” YouTube channel for similar gems from the Celtics’ rich history.
If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Boston Celtics champion Danny Ainge scores career-high 45 points vs. Philadelphia 76ers
