RIP Sam Jones

[Michael_ Gee]

Sharpshooter of the Russell Celtics. A killer when it counted. Heard Red Auerbach once at a clinic say, "For the last shot, we had a couple plays. I had a 24 second play, a 15 second play and a 10 second play. After that, the play was 'get the ball to Sam'."

 

[maumann]

Before the advent of the three-point shot, the guys who could drain mid-range jumpers were invaluable. I admit the defense wasn't as good back then -- mainly because basketball referees didn't allow the physical play that defines today's game, otherwise everybody would have fouled out -- but I was always amazed at how good players like Jones were at hitting clutch shots.

I really miss the flow the game had back then, with lots of fast breaks and ball movement. It was more ... elegant.

The Celtics dynasty had so many players who would have been stars on other teams. Jones was a guy who could have been the best player on nearly every other team in the league back then.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I can't recall which Celtics player it was, but one of my favorite stories was one where one year, at Game 7 of the Finals, Red Auerbach decided he didn't have anything to say for a pep talk. So he called up one of the Celtic greats (again, I don't recall which one), and asked the player to give a pep talk.

The player thought for a moment, then went to the chalkboard, and wrote "We win = $10,000. We lose = $5,000." Needless to say, the Celtics won.

 

[ChrisLong]

I think Sam Jones shot jumpshots on free throws.

 

[Jake from State Farm]

I think Sam Jones shot jumpshots on free throws.

I thought that was Hal Greer

 

[Jake from State Farm]

I hated the Celtics because I was a big Wilt fan and I always rooted for his teams
I’m still surprised Wilt died so young
Along with Jim Brown, Wilt was one of those guys who seemed invincible

 

[micropolitan guy]

Coincidentally I am reading Leigh Montville's book on the 1969 Celtics-Lakers finals. Sam Jones made the key shot of the series, winning game 4 for Boston.

Kudos to anyone who knows who the top three Finals scorers on each team were.

 

[LanceyHoward]

Jones is historically underrated because he played on the Celtics during the dynasty. The Celtics always had deep benches and only Russell played 40 minutes a game. Jones only played more than 33 minutes a game once in his career when contemporaries such as Hal Greer were playing close to 40. The Celtics also always had other offensive options like John Havlicek, Tommy Heinsohn or Bailey Howell. As a result he only averaged 18 points a game in his career. If he played somewhere else Jones would have been the primary option and probably better remembered.

In fact, i would place Jones as my shooting guard on my all time Celtics team, ahead of Havlicek and Pierce.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

This kind of says you're good. The Celtics retired Jones' number 24 in his final season before it was over. He watched 'em haul the number up into the rafters and then went out and played to another title.

 

[maumann]

Too bad I don't know where Elson Armstrong Jr. is, because he would be the one to confirm, but I would assume Jones is the greatest player in North Carolina Central history. And probably the best NBA player from Wilmington (Meadowlark Lemon definitely deserves honorable mention) until some kid named Jordan showed up.

 

[ChrisLong]

I think Sam Jones shot jumpshots on free throws.

I thought that was Hal Greer

You are right, I am wrong.
Something else I'm probably wrong about. Was S. Jones offset at the free-throw line? I little more to the right instead of straight-on?

 

[micropolitan guy]

Kudos to anyone who knows who the top three Finals scorers on each team were.

Celtics: Havlicek, Jones, Larry Siegfried.

Lakers: West, Elgin Baylor, Johnny Egan.

 

[maumann]

Wow. Would have guessed Wilt for LA. Russell shutting down Chamberlain would have been awesome to have witnessed.

I had to look up Egan.

My other guess was Lynn Shackelford, but he was still at UCLA and apparently never actually played for the Lakers, even though my best friend and I were always "passing the ball to Shackelford for the wide-open jumper."

 

[micropolitan guy]

Wilt was a horrible fit for the BvBK offense. He sat on the bench for the last five minutes of Game 7 because Mel Counts gave the Lakers a better chance to win.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Wilt also had five fouls and had never fouled out of a game. But if Wilt Chamberlain couldn't fit in a coach's offense, that coach needed a new offense.

 

[da man]

You are right, I am wrong.
Something else I'm probably wrong about. Was S. Jones offset at the free-throw line? I little more to the right instead of straight-on?

I seem to recall Dean Meminger doing that.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Wilt also had five fouls and had never fouled out of a game. But if Wilt Chamberlain couldn't fit in a coach's offense, that coach needed a new offense.

His range was about four feet and in. Supposedly he refused to play at the high post, clogged the lane and inhibited West and Baylor from driving to the basket.

 

[BTExpress]

 

[micropolitan guy]

I didn't see too much film from 1969 in those clips. BvBK called him "the Load" because he slowed down the offense so much and often refused to hustle.

I'm just the messenger describing what I read in Montville's new book, which is incredibly sourced and a very good read.

 

[BTExpress]

Bill Sharman probably had a different opinion.

In Game 5 of the 1972 Finals, Wilt played with a broken hand and wore these thick pads that made it difficult to grip the ball. 24 points, 29 rebounds, 8 assists and 8 blocks later, the series was over.

If BvBK were an NFL coach, he'd be Urban Meyer.