Sports Radio Service


		The Celtic Experience By Joe Cronin April 24, 2009

	If you are a ‘basketball junkie’, which venue might be the absolute tops???? I would be sure the Celtics playing in the Boston Garden must be in the top three. A few days ago I was visiting my daughter in Billerica, Massachusetts, near Lowell. There is a train that goes into downtown Boston stopping at the ‘gaw-den’. A 35 minute trip that reminds one of California. There is graffiti on every building along the way. The TD Banknorth Garden had eight stories and is like a huge operahouse. I had a great seat behind the Bulls basket in the first half, the Celtics in the second half. A look up and you notice the 17 Celtics Championship banners. Wow! When the game begins you are a part of nearly 20,000 fans, almost every one wearing green. They have a light system second to none. The first Celtics basket makes you understand what they are there for. What a show! Lotsa lights, lotsa sound. Spectacular! What, like 150 decibels… The game was back and fourth all the way. The Celtics are a very ordinary crew without Kevin Garnett. The Chicago Bulls don’t understand how good they might be. Another thing: Chicago has Brad Miller and John Salmons, and the Celtics have Mikki Moore., all ex-Sacramento Kings. When the referees call a close one on the Celtics, a chant starts in the crowd, “Bull-xxxx, Bull,xxxx, Bull-xxxx.” Chicago went up by five with about three minutes remaining. The Celtics tied the game with 12.3 seconds. Ray Allen’s three with 2.0 seconds left made the final 118-115. Ben Gordon had 42 for the Bulls, John Salmons 17, and Brad Miller 16. Ray Allen had 30 for the Celts. “Big Baby” Glen scored 26, Rajon Rondo and Paul Pearce each had 18. Kendrick Perkins added 16. This is Celtics team that misses Garnett, he’s their defensive leader. But the Celtics have the loudest fans in basketball. They have seen great basketball for years. The only thing they won’t tolerate is not playing defense. Yes, it is the finest basketball venue in the world.