May 14, 2026, 6:01 a.m. ET
Today in Boston Celtics history, the 62-20 Boston Celtics secured their 14th NBA title with a 102-91 victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 6 of the 1981 NBA Finals, getting the win on their own home court of the “old” Boston Garden despite a five-minute stretch late in the game without a Celtics making a basket.
Hall of Fame forward Larry Bird led the Celtics with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists, while teammate Cedric Maxwell contributed 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Center and fellow Hall of Famer Robert Parish added another 18 points and 6 rebounds in the victory. For Houston, shooting guard Robert Reed scored 27 points, along with 8 rebounds and 5 assists, and the legendary big man Moses Malone contributed 23 points and 16 rebounds.
Maxwell was awarded Finals MVP for his performance against the Rockets, who, at 42-40, were the last team in league history to make the NBA Finals with a losing record.
Historic milestones
Backup big man Rick Robey said before the game (via the AP’s Alex Sachare) that what Houston big Moses “Malone said got our blood boiling” after the Rockets’ 91-86 win in Game 4. Robey’s comments refer to remarks by Malone after the Game 4 win that saw the Houston center claim that the Celtics weren’t very good and that he could take four guys off the street of his hometown.
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“None of us appreciated his comments,” offered Boston forward Kevin McHale. ”I think he was just blowing smoke because they won their second game Sunday. If we win the championship, I don’t think he’ll have much to say.” The Celtics would of course end up winning the series, despite Malone’s opinion of the team.
Today is the anniversary of a 96-89 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the 2008 NBA Eastern Conference semifinals despite 35 points and 5 assists from LeBron James. Kevin Garnett led Boston with 26 points and 16 rebounds, and Paul Pierce added 29 points and 7 boards. Point guard Rajon Rondo chipped in 20 points and 13 rebounds.
Transactions
On this day in 1961, former Boston Celtics point guard Carl Braun signed with the team in free agency after being waived by the New York Knicks. The last stop in a 13-season career interrupted for two years by military service, Braun would win a championship with the Celtics in a reserve role.
He averaged 3.7 points, a rebound, and 1.5 assists in his sole season with Boston, and would be elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
Birthdays
It is also the birthday of Eddie House. Born this day in 1978 in Berkeley, California, House played his college ball at Arizona State. Drafted by the Miami Heat, the Californian played for that team, the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, (then) Charlotte Bobcats (now, Hornets), Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, and New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets before signing with Boston in 2007. House won a title with the Celtics before he was traded to the Knicks.
Finally, House shares his birthday with forward Mark Minor, born this day in 1950. The Ohio State alum would be drafted by Boston in 1972, and played 4 games for the Celtics in the 1972-73 season over that very short stretch.