Today in Boston Celtics history, Dominique Wilkins ascended to eighth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list after putting up a total of 19 points, along with 7 rebounds and an assist in a 126-115 victory against the Miami Heat. This historic outing brought his total career points scored to 25,207 by the conclusion of the contest.
Although Wilkins had a brief tenure with the Celtics, participating in only 77 games during the 1994-95 season, he played a crucial role in keeping fans engaged during a challenging era in Boston’s history, which fell between the championship successes of the 1980s and the arrival of fellow future Hall of Famer Paul Pierce in 1998.
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Even Wilkins couldn’t deal with the rebuilding Celtics for long, though, skipping town to join Panathinaikos of the Greek League the following season.
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It is also the date that Boston re-signed guard Kelvin Upshaw to a rest-of-season contract in 1989 after finishing a pair of 10-day contracts subbing for guard Jim Paxson, out with an injured wrist. Upshaw had averaged 8.0 points and 5.1 assists over eight games on those 10-day contracts with the team.
Kelvin Upshaw of the Boston Celtics moves the ball during a game versus the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
“We are very pleased with his performance to date … He’s worked very hard and met our expectations,” said Celtics general manager Jan Volk at the time via UPI. “His hard work and determination really showed.”
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Birthdays
Finally, a pair of Celtics alumni share this birthday. Firstly, forward Justin Jackson was born on this day in 1995 in Houston, Texas. Drafted out of UNC with the 15th overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, Jackson never suited up for the Blazers. He did play for the Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Milwaukee Bucks before he signed with the Celtics in 2022. His stay with the team lasted until he was dealt back to the Thunder in 2023.
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 07: Justin Jackson #43 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the fourth quarter of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Greensboro Coliseum Complex on October 07, 2022 in Greensboro, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Former Boston point guard Chris Corchiani was also born on this day in 1968, an alum of NC State. The Floridian guard was drafted 36th overall in the 1991 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic and played for several teams before signing with the Celtics in the 1993-94 NBA season. He averaged 2.3 points and 1.7 assists in his sole season with the franchise.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Wilkins 25k pts; Corchiani, Jackson born; Upshaw re-signs