C's Honor 3 Generations of Unparalleled Success

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C's Honor 3 Generations of Unparalleled Success



Posted: Apr 14, 2016




By Taylor C. Snow |  @taylorcsnow
Celtics.com


April 14, 2016




BOSTON – Wednesday night, members of the Boston Celtics 1966, 1976 and 1986 NBA championship teams collaborated on the TD Garden parquet floor to partake in a ceremony of epic proportions.

Legends such as Bill Russell, Tommy Heinsohn, Tom ‘Satch’ Sanders, John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, Jo Jo White, Kevin McHale and Bill Walton lined up one-by-one at center court – old friends greeting each other as video montages, spanning across three generations, played on the jumbotron above their heads.

All the while, thousands of awestruck, goose-bump-laden fans stood on their feet to witness history, before watching the current Celtics roster storm back from a 26-point deficit and stun the Miami Heat, 98-88.

In its entirety, it was exactly what the Celtics and team president Rich Gotham had envisioned.

“Everything that’s great about the Celtics, all the tradition, the pride, the banners, all that stuff, was inherited by us from those championship teams from the 60s, 70s and 80s,” Gotham said Wednesday afternoon as he sat in his office across the street from the Garden. “So in many ways we’re kind of standing on the shoulders of giants.

“I mean these guys built this whole Boston Celtics franchise, the mystique, the culture, everything that goes along with it that we all get to benefit from and enjoy so much. And our fans are so passionate about it, and it’s all due to those guys who are being honored tonight at the game.”

Over the span of roughly 36 hours, the group of nearly two-dozen Legends had the opportunity to reconnect, recount and relive the success they achieved three, four and five decades ago.

“I couldn’t be more honored, privileged, humbled or fortunate than to be here with all my guys,” Walton said Tuesday night before joining a panel of his fellow greats. “This was the team, the franchise, that taught me how to love basketball.”

Added Havlicek, who was member of both the ’66 and ’76 championship teams,” I love it because these are guys you grew up with. Many years ago, we all had one common goal, and to see it all happen and come back and celebrate it again is just amazing.”

The current Celtics roster joined in on the festivities Tuesday afternoon, as they were given the opportunity to mingle with the Legends behind the closed doors of their training facility in Waltham, Mass.

It was a perfect way, says Gotham, to relay the organization’s tradition from the Celtics of then to the Celtics of now.

“I think it’s great for our current players to understand the obligation that they have to past generations,” said Gotham. “Just what it means to be a Celtic and how to comport yourself as a Celtic, both on the court and off the court, as a player and as a competitor. And having these guys around them, there’s just no better way for that to rub off than to have these guys here and present at our practice.”

C’s coach Brad Stevens agreed in the importance of having his players meet with those who established the franchise’s tradition.

“Our guys know and are well aware of how lucky we all are to be a part of this organization,” Stevens said ahead of Wednesday’s game. “They all walked over and spent time and picked the brains and just enjoyed being in the presence of those guys.”

One such player was eager rookie R.J. Hunter, who, at 22 years old, is roughly one-fourth the age of some of the Legends who were at hand.

“That’s kind of the day we’ve been waiting on,” he said. “Just being around the Celtics we always hear about.”

Added veteran Evan Turner, “You never take it for granted. When I was a kid I heard about a lot of those guys, and to be able to see them in person, for them to not only come back into town, but to also visit us is cool, so I definitely appreciate that.”

It should be especially appreciated in the moment, because this is likely the last time we will ever see this exact group together on the parquet floor.

“As time goes by, you don’t know how many of these opportunities you’re going to have to honor all these guys together at the same time,” said Gotham. “As guys get older, there are a few people you really wish were here with us tonight. Obviously Red Auerbach, but even guys like Bob Cousy and K.C. Jones who weren’t able to make it for health reasons.

“So I think it’s important that we celebrate these milestones while we can and appreciate these guys for, not only the great players, but the great men that they were who really built this whole Celtics thing that we all love so much.”



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