Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 Some have called it "the greatest NBA game ever played" - but at very least, Game-5 of the 1976 Finals between the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns should be a "must-see" for any League fan.  Boston won Game-5, 128-126, in triple-overtime , and there were thrills galore. John Havlicek started the game for the first time in the series, and the result was immediate. The Celtics built a big lead by the end of the first quarter. The pace was super-fast with both teams fast-breaking on every opportunity, often initiated by a defensive board and a long outlet pass. Here's some irony. The Celtics JoJo White covered the Suns' Paul Westphal , a former teammate of White in Boston. In the backcourt with JoJo for Boston was Charlie Scott , the guy brought over from Phoenix for Westphal. JoJo had a team-high 33 points, six boards and nine assists in the win - playing 60 minutes in the thjriller  and was named Finals MVP after Boston won the Title in Game-6 in Phoenix...

Yes, I know John Havlicek, #17, played most of his career at small forward, but this is my article, and I am putting him at starting shooting guard on my All-Time Celtics Top-10 list . The 6'5", 205-pound super-athlete chalked up the following awards (partial list): 8-Time Champion 1-Time Finals MVP 13-Time All-Star 5-Time All-Defense First Team 4-Time All-NBA First Team John was taken by the Boston Celtics and the NFL's Cleveland Browns in the 1962 NBA draft. He chose basketball and the Celtics over football, and we are fortunate for that. Bill Russell called Havlicek "the best all-around player I ever saw". Terrific accolade from a great man. Jarrin' John (as announcer Johnny Most called him) played 16 seasons for Boston and averaged more than 79 games played per season. He was an iron man who averaged 47.2 minutes/game in the 1969 Championship season and 47.0 MPG in the 1972 playoffs. His stamina wore down so many of his defenders. Hondo was one...