Today in Boston Celtics history, Jamel Thomas debuted for the stored franchise in 1999. An alumni of Providence College, Thomas was not picked up by any ball club in the 1999 NBA Draft despite his well-known sterling familial basketball pedigree.

Part of a notable basketball clan that was made up of his brother, Sebastian Telfair, and cousin Stephon Marbury, the Celtics saw potential in the Brooklyn, New York native, and inked Thomas to his first NBA contract on Dec. 13, 1999. The 6-foot-6 wing only had a three-game stint with the Celtics, though. His first game was a 117-88 drubbing by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Thomas produced 4 points, 2 assists and a rebound in just over 8 minutes of playing time. The New Yorker hit 2 of his 4 field goal attempts, of which none were 3-point attempts, and did not get to the line — but he also did not foul or commit a turnover.

The trio of games Thomas played for the Celtics did not evidently inspire confidence. The former Providence standout was waived on Dec. 23, 1999.

Historic milestones

It was on this date in 2005 that the Celtics held the Indiana Pacers to 71 points in an 85-71 win. The 71 points was one of the lowest point totals in modern NBA history.

Boston was led by Paul Pierce’s 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, and Mark Blount’s 22 points and 5 boards.

Rest in peace

Today is also the date former Boston big man John Mahnken left us in 2000. Born in 1922 in West New York, New Jersey, Mahnken played his NCAA ball for Georgetown, serving in the Army in the World War II. He played for a number of BAA (a precursor league of the NBA) teams before he was traded by the (then) Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now, Atlanta Hawks) to Boston in 1950.

He played four seasons for the Celtics with a brief stint in-between with the (defunct) Indianapolis Olympians before retiring in 1953, averaging 3.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

Finally, 14 years earlier in 1986, former Celtic Dick Mehen passed away. The Tennessee grad was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1922, and signed with the (defunct) Toledo Jeeps of the National Basketball League (NBL – a precursor league of the NBA, not to be confused with today’s NBL of Australia) after going undrafted in the 1947 BAA Draft.

Mehen played for that team, the (defunct) Waterloo Hawks and the (also defunct) Baltimore Bullets before he was dealt to Boston for Kenny Sailors and Brady Walker in 1950. The West Virginian played seven games for the Celtics, averaging 6.3 points, 3.7 boards and 1.6 assists per game.