Posted on 12/31/2021 6:23:51 PM PST by blueplum
BOSTON (AP) — Basketball Hall of Famer Sam Jones, the Boston Celtics’ “Mr. Clutch” whose sharp shooting fueled the league’s longest dynasty and earned him 10 NBA titles — second only to teammate Bill Russell — has died, the team said. He was 88...
“Sam Jones was one of the most talented, versatile, and clutch shooters for the most successful and dominant teams in NBA history,” the team said in a statement.
“His scoring ability was so prolific, and his form so pure, that he earned the simple nickname, ‘The Shooter,’” the Celtics said.
...Often providing the offense while Russell locked things down at the other end, Jones averaged 17.7 points per game over 12 seasons. The number went up in the postseason, when he averaged 18.9 points and was usually the No. 1 option for the game’s final shot for the teams that won 10 titles from 1959-69.
“We never flew first class in my 12 years of playing basketball,” Jones told The Associated Press this fall in an interview for the league’s 75th anniversary. “But we always won NBA championships.”
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
RIP Sam Jones.
Sure a lot of famous people over 80 people dying this week. RIP Sam Jones.
And somehow, the Senate remains intact...
I remember the 3 minute standing ovation he received in his last game at the Boston Garden.
He was a great scorer, team player and all around class act.
He sure was good.
Sam and KC, Cousy, Nelson, Havlicek....funny how names bring back a flood of memories. And I wasn’t even a Celtics fan!
The original Flash!!
I just died myself. My ghost is posting right now.
Week between Christmas and New Years Day is always tough. Sam almost made it through.
Now only Bill Russell and Bob Cousy are still with us from that great Celtic dynasty. Red Auerbach, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, Bill Sharman, Tom Heinsohn, Frank Ramsey, and John Havilcek have all gone to basketball heaven.
In 1992 Red Auerbach picked his all-time playoff dream team. Russell, Havilcek, and Cousy made the team, along with 9 other NBA greats: https://sports.yahoo.com/red-auerbach-listed-12-players-025355023.html .
Bank shot specialist. Great form. Not a lot of sugar to his game. RIP.
Hope he was right with God.
For some reason I always called him Sudden Sam. I probably picked it up from the “hometown announcer” Johnny Most. The Celtics played every Sunday afternoon. My brother and i would take the train down from Leominster quite often. The best games were against Philly with Wilt Chamberlin. Bill Russell prevailed almost always. Sam was one of the Jones along KC also a great player. I will admit that Sam was my favorite.
KC was the more famous of the Jones, but Sam was great... Prayers to his family and now, you are in an arena with GOD’s players, including Pistol Pete and John Havlichek...
Sam was my neighbor in Suburban Jacksonville about 15 years ago. He loved everybody and everybody loved him, regardless of whether you were a b-ball or not.
You have got to be pretty damn good to shine among that crew.
Sweet! Thanks for posting the link.
RIP.
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