LES BOSTON CELTICS

Dave Gavitt, who served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Celtics from 1990-94, died at the age of 73 in his native Rhode Island after a long illness on Friday night, his family said. Gavitt's legacy runs much deeper than his brief tenure with the Celtics and touches on all corners of the basketball world. He was elected to the sport's Hall of Fame in 2006.

Gavitt coached Providence College to the Final Four in 1973 with a team that included Marvin Barnes and Ernie DiGregorio. He is best known for helping create the Big East conference and serving as commissioner in 1979. Gavitt aligned the conference with ESPN, which played a pivotal role in it becoming one of the country's top basketball conferences, and moved the post-season tournament to Madison Square Garden. 

He was selected to coach the United States in the 1980 Olympics, but the U.S. boycotted the games that were held in the former Soviet Union. Gavitt was later a key figure in USA Basketball and creating the Dream Team in 1992, the first U.S Olympic team that featured NBA players.

Gavitt joined the Celtics in 1990 and stayed with the team through the 1994 season as it transitioned from end of the Larry Bird era. The Celtics won 56 games and reached the conference semifinals in Gavitt's first season on the job, but their days as a contender were coming to an end as injuries took their toll on Bird and Kevin McHale. He was fired after the 1994 season and replaced by M.L. Carr.

Gavitt is survived by his wife, Julie, and two sons, including Dan, an assistant commissioner with the Big East.