The Celtics tried twice to reunite college players

Antoine Walker of the Boston Celtics celebrates in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New Jersey Nets during the 2002 NBA Playoffs at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 21, 2002. The Celtics won 93-86. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The New York Knicks were one win away from taking in the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. They ended up losing a game 7 at home to the Indiana Pacers who went on to lose in 5 games to the Celtics. The Knicks are led by former Villanova star Jaylen Brunson, a former Maverick who finished in the MVP conversation this season. He was paired with two other college teammates in Josh Hart and Donte DiVincezo. Not often to do you see three former college players on the same team in the NBA making a run on the NBA playoffs. We have never seen four on the same team and the Knicks are going to find out.

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The Brooklyn Nets traded former Wildcat to the Knicks for for Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick via Bucks, an unprotected pick swap and a second-rounder. It is a major haul for Brooklyn who has gone into full tank mode. The Knicks have reunited the 2017 Villanova Championship team to go along with Julius Randle who missed the playoffs and hoping to re-sign OG Anunoby to compete with the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference.

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The Boston Celtics had notable college trio's on there roster in the late 90's with Walter McCarty, Ron Mercer, Antoine Walker who all played a big role on Kentucky's 1996 national championship team. That group was called the "untouchables". The Celtics had a fourth member of the Kentucky team in Tony Delk, who was a part of the team that lost to the nets in the Eastern Conference finals in 2002. It didn't work out for the group as Danny Ainge rebuilt the team and drafted the assets need to acquire Ray Allen and Kevin Garnet to win the 2008 Championship.

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This will put pressure on Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, who was an assistant on the 2008 Celtics team. He will feel the pressure of being the coach in New York, but will also hear Jay Wright's name circulated who was the championship coach at Villanova. The Knicks gave up alot to compete in the East and trying something that has never been done in the NBA before. Fans in Boston will tell them good luck with that.

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Joe Murray has worked behind the scenes and on-air in New England since 2007. Murray was born and raised in Boston (Hyde Park) and is now living on the North Shore in Peabody. A graduate of CSB School of Broadcasting, Joe was hired at 98.5 The Sports Hub in 2011 and is the host of Patriots Postgame and the Over/Under Podcast with Dan Lifshatz. Joe was hired as the full-time night show host in 2023, and a featured guest for “The Weekly Spread” on NBC Sports Boston during football season. Joe writes about all New England sports from Patriots football to Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins.

The Celtics tried twice to reunite college players

The New York Knicks were one win away from taking in the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. They ended up losing a game 7 at home to the…

Joe Murray

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