On this day in 1976, former Boston Celtics small forward Fred Saunders signed with the team as a free agent.
Saunders played his college ball with the Syracuse Orangemen before being drafted 31st overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 1974 NBA Draft.
He would play for the Suns for two seasons before joining Boston, where he played just two seasons, averaging 5.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1 assist over 13.8 minutes per game.
He would be dealt to the New Orleans Jazz for draft assets in 1978, where he would play just 30 games before being waived, his final stop in the NBA.
Head coach Bill Fitch resigned on this day in 1983 after four seasons as the team’s head coach, with whom he won an NBA championship in 1981.
Being swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in four games in the Eastern Conference Semis the season prior was likely a factor, as was the sale of the team by owner Harry Mangurian.
Legendary general manager Red Auerbach stepping into a more advisory role was another. “Without Harry being here, and with Red having said he won’t be here for another five years and eat Chinese food with me, a change is good,” said Fitch (via the New York Times).
In 1985, Celtics small forward Scott Wedman hit four three-pointers without missing, going 11-for-11 from the floor overall as Boston crushed the Los Angeles Lakers 148-114 in Game 1 of that year’s NBA Finals.
The Celtics’ 148 points and 62 field goals in what has been called the “Memorial Day Massacre” remain NBA Finals records.
