Ainge

BOSTON — A great day, in fact a great season, got even better for Danny Ainge yesterday.

Ainge yesterday became only the second Celtics’ general manager to win the NBA’s Executive of the Year Award. Later in the day, he became a grandfather for the sixth time. All that and a night of the biggest game of the season.

“I’m honored by the Sporting News (which sponsors it) and I think it’s good to be selected by your peers. But right now, quite honestly, I’m a little more excited about Game Five and the birth of my sixth grandchild an hour ago,” Ainge said.

Ainge’s daughter, Ashlee, gave birth to a girl, Siena, at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The extended Ainge clan celebrated at the game, including nephew Erik, the University of Tennessee quarterback who was drafted in the fifth round by the New York Jets last month.

Ainge won the award in large part because of the two trades he engineered in the offseason that brought Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to Boston. The team then went out and rolled to 66 wins, easily the best in the NBA.

“We had a really good regular season. It was fantastic,” Ainge said. “I never really put goals as to how many wins, but just how the team came together and how they jelled on and off the court and how the coaches were able to implement their talents. Things really went our way in the regular season.”

But the Celtics never really set regular-season goals.

“Our objectives are postseason awards and postseason success. Regular-season success is good in its time, but I’m probably not appreciative as I should be at this time because we’re getting ready for such a big game.”

The only other Celtic GM to win the award was Red Auerbach back in 1980. That was Larry Bird’s rookie season, when he led a one-season turnaround that increased Boston’s win total to 61, from 29.

“I’m happy for him,” Allen said of Ainge. “I don’t know what it was like around here last year, but I know that from where I was (in Seattle) it seemed like he was having such a hard time because he was getting pressure put on him and he stepped up and he made some deals in the summer.”

Allen said he’s kept a special communiqué from his boss all season. “He sent me a text message and the text message said, ‘We’re going to get the best of every opponent every night,’ and I just always kept that because it was what he did off the court with this team that made it aware to a lot of players in the NBA that the Celtics were serious,” Allen said

James strong early

LeBron James appeared calm and cool before the game when he briefly met with reporters and he certainly played like that out of the gate. James sparked the Cavaliers early strong play by tossing in 11 points in the first quarter and 23 points in the first half.

“It’s a 2-2 situation so being at home or on the road, you have to approach it the same way and go out with the same intensity. You have to be mentally prepared to go to war,” James said.

James says he’s grown more comfortable with the Celtics’ defense as the series has progressed and was hoping for a win last night and a potential series-clincher back in Cleveland tomorrow. James has seen replays of his big dunk at the end of Game Four several times. When asked what kind of feedback he’s received from his friends on the slam, James broke into a big smile and said, “Pretty good, pretty good.”

Benches carry the day

While finding a barometer outside of the home-court dynamic in the series isn’t easy, one clear trend has focused on the performance of both benches.

The team with the bench that wins the scoring battle has emerged victorious in the first four games of the series. Boston swept the first two games after outscoring Cleveland’s reserves in both Game One (22-17) and Game Two (34-17). The Cavs’ subs bounced back and delivered strong efforts at Quicken Loans Arena in both Game Three (29-24) and Game Four (36-17).

Boston’s single barometer might be Sam Cassell. He scored 13 and 9 points in the first two games of the series but shot 0-for-11 in the two games in Cleveland. Boston coach Doc Rivers said if his team shares the ball like it can, he’s confident a sluggish offense would improve.

“You think you have to get yourself going instead of making the right play. You always want to make the right play,” Rivers said. “Sometimes if you’re struggling individually, you hold on to that ball a little longer because you’re trying to get going, but the right play is in front of you. We’ve been very good at that all year. We’ve been in and out with that in the playoffs.”

By the boards

The Celtics entered last night 41-21 all-time in playoff Game Fives, 36-12 at home. … Ex-Celtic Antoine Walker was spotted in the crowd. Rap mogul Jay-Z, a pal of James’, sat next to the Cavaliers bench. … James’ 13 assists in Game Four tied his career playoff high. … Game time tomorrow in Cleveland is 8 p.m. A Game Seven back in Boston, if necessary, will probably be played at 4 p.m.

kmcnamar@projo.com