Today in Boston Celtics history, Sidney Wicks was born in 1949 in Los Angeles, California (there are records that say he was born in Contra Costa County, California instead, however). An alum of UCLA in its golden days under iconic coach John Wooden, Wicks was a major part in their winning of three straight championships while he was with the Bruins.
The California native was selected with the second overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1971 NBA Draft. He played a total of five seasons for the Blazers before they dealt his rights to the Celtics in 1976.
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Wicks would play a total of three seasons with Boston, averaging 14.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
More birthdays
It is also the birthday of former Celtic guard J.R. Bremer, born this day in 1980 in Cleveland, Ohio. A St. Bonaventure Bonny in college, Bremer signed with the Celtics after going undrafted in the 2002 NBA draft. Bremer would make the All-Rookie Second Team before he was dealt with Bruno Sundov and draft assets for Jumaine Jones in 2003.
He played 64 games for the Celtics in his sole season with the team, starting 41 of them. Bremer averaged 8.3 points, 2.3 boards, and 2.6 assists per game while in Boston.
Jamaal Tinsley (R) of the Indiana Pacers passes over J.R. Bremer (L) of the Boston Celtics at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts, 26 February 2003. AFP PHOTO/JOHN MOTTERN (Photo by JOHN MOTTERN / AFP) (Photo by JOHN MOTTERN/AFP via Getty Images)
It is also the birthday of former Boston forward Jim Ard, born today in 1948 in Seattle, Washington. Ard played his college ball at Cincinnati, drafted with the sixth pick of the 1970 NBA draft by his hometown Seattle Supersonics, but played instead for the (then) New York (now, Brooklyn) Nets, at that time in the American Basketball Association (ABA).
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He left the ABA in 1974, first signing with the Philadelphia 76ers — who released him after a month — and then the Celtics, for whom he played for four seasons. Ard was instrumental in the team’s 1976 NBA Championship, icing free throws in the triple-overtime Game 5 classic. He logged 3.7 points and 3.9 rebounds while with the team.
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It is also the date that former Boston big man Bob Doll signed with the team in 1948, back in the team’s Basketball Association of America (BAA — a precursor league that would become the NBA of today) days soon after the team’s founding in the 1946-47 season.
May 15, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The Boston Celtics logo is seen at center court before game seven of the second round of the 2022 NBA playoffs between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
A Colorado alum, Doll joined the BAA ranks with the (now defunct) St. Louis Bombers, where he played for two seasons before joining the Celtics. He averaged 7.3 points and 2.4 assists per game while with Boston for two more seasons — rebounds were not yet tabulated.
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Bubble history
Finally, it is also the date of a 117-106 win over the Miami Heat in the 2020 Disney bubble playoffs held at the Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida due to the pandemic.
Sep 19, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) dribbles the ball against Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo (13) during the second half of game three of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The win got the Celtics back in the series after falling behind 0-2 to the Heat in the East Finals, driven by 26 points from Jaylen Brown, 25 from Jayson Tatum, and 21 from Kemba Walker. “There’s some great guys in that locker room,” Brown said after the game via the AP.
“A lot of emotion, a lot of passion, but we’re a family, and we’re here for each other at the end of the day. We exemplified that when we came out together … we kept our will high, and we persevered to win this game.”
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Sidney Wicks, JR Bremer, Jim Ard born; Bob Doll signs