CelticsStrong
Celtics Basketball => Celtics History => Topic started by: number_n9ne on November 08, 2018, 11:36:07 AM
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This morning Toucher and Rich were discussing Kyrie's actions throwing the game ball into the stands after Murray took that end of game shot. Ainge went on to say he would have done the same thing and stated that people didn't stat hunt back when he played. That's when Tony Mazz texted in to ask about a game where apparently Ainge had the season's free throw % title but hadn't taken enough free throws in the season to be eligible, so he drove to the basket several times to get to the minimum amount of free throws taken. Ainge laughed it off and said it was true but there was a story behind it, which ended up being one of the most hilarious Celtic history stories I've heard.
Apparently, Bird had a free throw shooting incentive in his shoe contract for $50k. Ainge's plan was to get to the line one last time so that he would qualify for the highest free throw % that season, thus knocking Bird out. He was going to make the first shot, call a time out, and then negotiate with Bird his cut of the $50k in order to miss the next free throw. Before he could get his last drive to the basket KC Jones took him out, ending his negotiating ability. I love this level of trolling, Ainge is the man.
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Funny story TP. I originally thought the title implied Jabari Bird. How sad. Larry Legend is the GOAT, and I was thinking Jabari freaking Bird. ::)
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Funny story TP. I originally thought the title implied Jabari Bird. How sad. Larry Legend is the GOAT, and I was thinking Jabari freaking Bird. ::)
The story was funny but that's funnier 😂😂😂
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Love the story.
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"People didn't stat hunt back in the day" - can I introduce you to Wilt Chamberlain? Or, in Ainge's playing days, the 1994 Shaq/David Robinson final game scoring title fight?
Great story though.
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And then Danny would have been suspended for the league for life for point shaving...
Actually, this was '86, and the Pete Rose scandal wasn't public until '89 so this probably wouldn't have been a big deal. Seriously though, Charles Barkley and Mark Jackson got fined $5k in '90 because Barkley yelled something like "I bet you $1,000 I make these next 2 free throws," and then "I bet you $5k you'll miss this next shot" (https://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/12/sports/jackson-barkley-are-fined-for-bets.html) I remember Barkley wrote about it in his first book Outrageous, David Stern gave him a call the next day and lectured him about it. How would it look if Jackson missed and didn't pass to an open teammate because he wanted to win the bet with Barkley? The integrity of the game is compromised!
I remember reading about the Bird/Ainge thing too in Bird's book Drive (IIRC). Who remembers why it didn't actually work though? I think McHale purposely committed a lane violation so Ainge wouldn't get it (or said he would if it came to that). Can't quite remember though.