greatest games in NBA

[lamphier@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp (Marc Lamphier)]

Viewers of Classic Sports Network have voted on the top 10 games in NBA
history. 6 out of the 10 involved the Celts, including the #1 game;
Celts-Suns triple-overtime playoff game.


Celtics-Suns in '76 voted a classic

                    By Jim Greenidge, Globe Staff, 01/31/97 

                    Remember the breathtaking triple-overtime
                    game between the Celtics and Phoenix Suns
                    during the 1976 NBA Finals? 

                    The viewers of Classic Sports Network have
                    voted that Game 5 - won on the Boston Garden
                    parquet by the Celtics, 128-126 - as the
                    greatest game in NBA history. 

                    Celtics basketball dominated the Classic
                    Sports balloting, as six other Boston games
                    finished in the top 10 in voting among more
                    than 50 selections. 

                    ``The NBA at 50 celebration is the kind of event
                    Classic Sports was created for,'' said Brian
                    Bedol, CEO of the cable service. ``Giving
                    basketball fans the opportunity to relive the
                    greatest games in NBA history, and younger
                    fans to see them for the first time, adds a
                    whole new dimension to the celebration of
                    league history. And it is especially appropriate
                    in Boston, where so many chapters of NBA
                    history were written.'' 

                    The other Boston games chosen among the top
                    10: 

                    No. 4 - Game 4 of the 1987 NBA Finals. Magic
                    Johnson hits a running hook shot in the lane to
                    give the Lakers a 107-106 win at Boston
                    Garden. 

                    No. 5 - Game 6 of the 1987 Eastern Conference
                    finals. Larry Bird steals Isiah Thomas' inbounds
                    pass and feeds Dennis Johnson for the layup
                    that gives the Celtics a 108-107 triumph over
                    the Pistons at the Garden. 

                    No. 6 - Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals. Don
                    Nelson's jumper bounces high off the back of
                    the rim and drops in to beat the Lakers,
                    108-106, giving the Celtics the title. 

                    No. 7 - Game 7 of the 1957 NBA Finals. Tom
                    Heinsohn leads the way with 37 points and 20
                    rebounds as the Celtics beat the St. Louis
                    Hawks, 125-123, in double overtime at the
                    Garden to secure their their first NBA title. 

                    No. 10 - Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern
                    Conference semifinals. Atlanta's Dominique
                    Wilkins (47 points) and Bird (34) duel down the
                    stretch - 16 for Wilkins in the fourth quarter,
                    20 for Bird - and the Celtics prevail, 118-1