On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team defeated the Miami Heat, 101-91, in Game 3 of the 2012 Eastern Conference finals.
While the LeBron James-led Heat eventually won the series in seven games, the Celtics made them work for it. Game 3 was no exception. Future Hall of Fame big man Kevin Garnett led Boston with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while forward Paul Pierce added 23 points, and point guard Rajon Rondo had 21 points, 6 boards and 10 assists. Shooting guard Ray Allen chipped in 10 points and 5 rebounds to the win.
It was also the game of Garnett’s infamous knuckle pushups after getting knocked to the ground on a hard foul in the second quarter.
“I’m getting crap about my form, but I want people to know it’s because it was on my knuckles,” KG jested after the game (via the Associated Press).
“That’s old school. My uncle taught me to do pushups on my knuckles. That’s some Army-Navy stuff.”
“You’re trying to fight back the whole time,” said LeBron of the Heat’s failed comeback attempt.
James scored four points in the game’s final frame, shut down by Boston’s defense as his rivals seemingly couldn’t miss.
“We made a run but it was too much.”
Exactly one year earlier, Celtics center Shaquille O’Neal officially announced his retirement after an injury-plagued season with Boston did not go as planned.
“I’m going to miss the competition. I’m going to miss, you know, the chase for the ring. You know, I’m actually going to miss everything,” shared Shaq via ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan.
His 19 seasons and copious accolades placed him among the greatest that ever played. The onetime LSU star was properly honored by the league with his inclusion in the league’s all-time 75 greatest players list and by the sport with his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Finally, it was also the date that the Celtics lost their fourth and final postseason game in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs to the Brooklyn Nets, falling 123-109 on the road.
Boston only won a single game in the series vs. Brooklyn (Game 3 at home), but came back and swept the Nets in a first-round rematch the following postseason.
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