Sam Jones, a former Celtics guard who won 10 championships with the team during his playing career, passed away on Thursday night at age 88, team spokesperson Jeff Twiss confirmed to ESPN. Jones had been hospitalized in Florida prior to his death due to failing health.
The eighth overall pick in the 1957 draft, Jones spent his entire 12-year career in Boston, earning five All-Star nods during that time and averaging 17.7 PPG in 871 career regular season games (27.9 MPG). He won more titles than any other player besides longtime teammate Bill Russell and was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1984. Jones was also named to the NBA’s 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversary teams and had his No. 24 retired by the Celtics.
“Sam Jones was one of the most talented, versatile, and clutch shooters for the most successful and dominant teams in NBA history,” the Celtics said in a statement. “His scoring ability was so prolific, and his form so pure, that he earned the simple nickname, ‘The Shooter.’ He was also known as ‘Mr. Clutch.’
“… The Jones family is in our thoughts as we mourn his loss and fondly remember the life and career of one of the greatest champions in American sports.”
Our condolences go out to Jones’ family and friends.
More from around the Atlantic:
- The Celtics won’t be signing C.J. Miles to a second 10-day contract after his initial deal expired overnight on Thursday, head coach Ime Udoka confirmed today (Twitter link via Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe).
- Within his look at some of this season’s top trade candidates, John Hollinger of The Athletic says the “consensus opinion” around the NBA is that the Sixers will likely move Ben Simmons before the February 10 deadline, despite having insisted they’re comfortable with the standoff dragging into the offseason.
- Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the Raptors‘ ownership group, announced on Thursday that the team won’t sell tickets for games at Scotiabank Arena for the next three weeks. Ontario has introduced a new temporary limit of 1,000 people in an indoor venue due to the effects of COVID-19 in the province, so the Raptors will play without fans in the short term rather than opening their doors to just a few hundred of them.
RIP …. Sam Jones
link to nba.com
A 6’ 4” SG who was versatile and clutch. True legend of the game.
that 51 he put in the series clincher in 67 was definitely cluth.
Sixers aren’t going anywhere. Without a Ben trade. Watched the Nets game last night. One good thing that’s come from all this. Is Maxey has stepped up. He looked good against Nets. Guy plays D too. They make a decent Ben trade. Sixers can be good for a long time. Their core is young.
Yeah was great to get the win without Ben, away from home and with Danny green out, however overall it doesn’t mean much.
So far this season has been great overcoming injuries and covid and the young guys/role players have stepped up a bunch particularly Maxey and Niang. However come playoffs we won’t beat any of the top teams in a series with Ben and he’s not returning so trading his is what’s needed.
My hope if they get a 2 or a 3 that can score 15-23 a night, play some decent defence and is reasonably young. If we can grab a back up PF or a pick or two aswell that’s just a bonus.
Ideally we get someone like Jaylen Brown he would be perfect but I’d happily take Bogi and Hunter from the hawks or Bridges and salary filler from the hornets
I think they can get a deal that works for them. I agree they are not competing without a good return. Just can’t see them letting this drag on after TD.
Yeah I mean they will 100% make the playoffs and might make it out of the first round but besides that they aren’t a threat.
My dream would be Jaylen and Smart for Ben and Curry.
My more realistic favourite idea is Ben and Bassey for Bogi, Hunter and Okungwu.
If we can even get the last deal we would be solid
#FreeBenSimmons
#FreeBeer #BleepBenSimmons
A CLE-PHL trade has been possible and mutually beneficial for some time, but fans may not be able to get how a KLove inclusion would mostly just be about salary match. Yes he is not as good as Simmons or Harris but there would be other assets moving.
Best Morey can hope for is the people saying he gave up too much in BS or Harris will roughly equal those that complain the opposite. In summary, nobody will approve of Simmon’s implied valuation. But Philly can’t seriously try for a title with BS a big hole.
Cleveland has no trade that works in the Sixers interest. Nothing helps them this season or beyond. Sexton is injured, will need to get paid. And the only team that will trade for Love is one going toward rebuild or already in rebuild looking for a 1st. Sorry just no traction here.
This shows my point about the fans. The team trading for Love wants a salary match, with some backup utility… It has nothing to do with the stuff you said, rebuilds or firsts or whatever. The trading key would be to get someone else, not Love, but salary matching may still be needed. Love could help Embiid though, given the roster alternatives.
You have never understood in the past, and is still in dreamland regarding Simmons… but this last is not rare for Philly.
A Sixer problem: Hate on BS because he cannot shoot, but value him all-world in trading. Be sure to wonder why BS wants out when it is obvious.
Sixers are all solved at PG, right.
The Sixer lineup is filled with non-Embiids a team cannot win a title with. Maxey & Curry for guards, Tobias Harris, Embiid basically alone on the front line. And the drama with everyone tired of it.
Why hasn’t Love been moved yet? Cavs won’t attach a 1st to his contract. It’s that simple really.
Ben isn’t a 33 yr old center with 80 yr old man back problems. Name one team that wants to take on Kevin Loves contract because of his play. Conversely, can you name a team that wouldn’t want to add Ben Simmons if they could make the money work?
Love doesn’t help Embiid, and they’d have to attach an asset to move his contract next year. Like I said Cleveland has nothing to offer the Sixers in a trade. That’s not overvaluing Simmons, that’s appropriately assessing what the Cavs have to offer via trade and what the Sixers needs are.
I was keen on the Cavs before sexton got injured, I would’ve taken him and KLove plus picks. But now Sexton is injured and needs a new deal, plus Maxey hasn’t taken on the point guard role very well.
We don’t need Mobley or Allen cause we have Embiid, don’t need Garland with Maxey, which leaves Okoro who doesn’t do it for me
Realistically, 11-15 in either league is a potential trade partner. Not every fringe team is ready to overhaul the roster.
Ben Simmons jet-setting and getting engaged really demonstrates he has no mental health issues. NBA commissioner does nothing as super stars sign contracts and whine or bisbehave their way out of them. I am ready to give up on the NBA altogether.
Simmons will get traded, but the deals I’m thinking about are Portland- Lillard, Washington- Beal, Indiana- Sabonis, LeVert. Houston- C. Wood, E.Gordon, 2 1sts…
So the missing piece is probably the fact it wouldn’t be just a PHL-CLE trade. A third or fourth team would also get involved. Love and the picks are the long term benefits. The pieces the Sixers get elsewhere are the immediate ones.
I think a Simmons trade will be coming very soon. With Embiid and Seth Curry basically keeping the team afloat, while Maxey, Thybulle,P.Reed, Shake Milton are all out with injuries/Covid protocol. They were 1-6 in the games Embiid missed with covid. and have had Niang, D.Green, Curry, Drummond, Milton & T.Harris have all been out with Covid issues already. They can’t afford to play shorthanded much longer. So, Ben Simmons, T.Harris & D.Green get moved with Simmons going to Houston, D.Gteen, T.Harris,& Kevin Porter Jr. & HOU 1st in ’23 to TOR, P. Siakam & D.Theis to BOS, Jaylen Brown, Christian Wood & Eric Gordon to PHI- or something to this effect