On this day in Boston Celtics history, the storied franchise played the very first game of its storied history in 1946 as it kicked off play in the brand-new Basketball Association of America (BAA — a precursor league of the NBA that would become the league called the National Basketball Association of today in 1949).
That first contest was not an auspicious one given the Celtics dropped their inaugural game to the (now defunct) Providence Steamrollers to the tune of 59-53, Boston falling to 0-1 to start off the 1946-47 BAA season on a sour note that hinted nothing of the many wins to come.
It was of course the Celtics’ debut for the entire team, but in that era, sparse counting stat records were kept — or even conceived of. With that in mind, let’s review the details we do have.
(AP Photo)
Red Wallace led all scorers with 9 points, Virgil Vaughn and Warren Fenley both had 8 points, and the future “Rifleman” star Chuck Connors had 7 more to round out the game’s top scorers for the Celtics.
Connie Simmons had 6 points, his brother Johnny had 4, Wyndol Gray 5 points, while Al Brightman, Tony Kappen, and Art Spector each had 2 points. Mel Hirsch was the sole Celtic to go scoreless. It would also be head coach John Russell’s first game as the inaugural coach to hold the position.
Allsport/Getty Images photo
On this day in 1990, former Celtic guard DeCovan Kadell — better known as Dee — Brown debuted for the team which took him 19th overall in that year’s NBA draft out of Florida’s Jacksonville University, his hometown team.
Brown’s first game in green and white came in a 125-101 blowout of the Cleveland Cavaliers and saw him play 22 minutes of game time with 4 turnovers and 3 fouls.
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It was also the day that former Celtics center Semih Erden would debut for the team exactly two decades to the day in 2010. The Turkish big man would play his first game for Boston in a 109-84 blowout of the Detroit Pistons in which he logged just inside of 15 and a half minutes of floor time, turning the ball over once and fouling 3 times.
Erden scored 2 points on a single shot attempt, grabbed 3 boards, made an assist, and blocked 3 shots for a decent first game with the Celtics.
(AP Photo/Bizuayehu Tesfaye)
Five years earlier, former Boston forward Ryan Gomes debuted as well, his first game with the Celtics a 114-100 win over the New York Knicks.
The Providence College product put up 2 points — also on a single shot attempt — and 3 rebounds in just under nine minutes of play, turning the ball over once with zero fouls.
(AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
That same game would also see guard Orien Greene’s debut for Boston, who logged 2 points on a single shot attempt and a single rebound and assist each.
The Louisiana-LaFayette product did it in just under 11 minutes of floor time, with 1 turnover and 2 fouls.
(Nick Laham/Getty Images)
Celtic champion center Glen Davis debuted for this team on this day in 2007, in a 103-83 thrashing of the Washington Wizards.
The LSU product didn’t play much in it though, recording only two minutes and 30 seconds of game time in which he logged a single assist and a foul.
(Elsa/Getty Images)
Big man Luke Harangody made his debut for Boston on this date in 2010, in a 109-86 blowout of the Detroit Pistons.
The Notre Dame product would score 4 points in just over 3 minutes of game time for a decent first game with the Celtics.
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Two years later, former Syracuse forward Kris Joseph debuted for Boston in a 99-88 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Montreal native would register a single assist and rebound each in just under 3 minutes of floor time.
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
On this date in 1999, wing Adrian Griffin played his first contest for the Celtics in a 103-90 road win over the Toronto Raptors.
The Seton Hall product had a deceptively strong debut, logging 14 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in just under 28 minutes of game time.
(AP Photo/Stf.)
Two years before that, forward Dontae’ Jones played his first for the Celtics in a 107-96 loss to the Orlando Magic.
The Nashville native logged 4 points, a steal, and a block in 10 and a half minutes of game time.
Finally, it is also the date of Celtics forward Hal Crisler’s passing in 1987.
The Iowa State product joined the team for a four-game stint in its inaugural season, closing our loop for today with a career average of 1.5 points per game with Boston.
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Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire