No 6 - Dedicated to Bill Russell and his post game interview after Game 7 of the 1969 Finals - He was looking forward to watching the janitor going up to the Forum ceiling and plucking the balloons down one at a time.
Next year, I started listening to Johnny Most full time and the rest they say is my history. I thought 5 years was way too long to go between Championships.
No 5 - 1974 Game 7 - I finally got to watch the Celtics win a Championship for the 1st time. Boy was that special after tow years of complete frustration of being taken out by the Knicks.
No.4 - 2008 Game 4 - The legendary Tornadic comeback that made winning the 17th a certainty..... Celtics were getting crushed and then the local station butted in with live tornado coverage - The skies were green and angry - Auerbach was gonna drop a Spinning Cigar Cloud on my house...... Then the game resumed and we were down 45-21 in the 2nd..... Celtics put a nice run to get it to manageably at 1/2 (I think 12 points).... Then the Celtics ate up just about all of the deficit in the last 6 minutes of the qtr and then Ray Allen posterized the Tennis Star to complete the legendary comeback.
No. 3 - Game 5 of the 1976 Finals - The missed last train to South Acton - My only appearence on Youtube - John Havliceks bankshot from left of the key gave Boston a one point double OT win and the fans mobbed the court in celebration including me. Or was it over - hint go back to No. 8 and reread (or TripleOT handle had to come from somewhere). Phx got a TO, JoJo hit the Technical, and Gar Heard Round the World Shot.
No. 2 - 1984 Finals - Lakers could not be Stopped - It was about tinsel and glamour vs hardworking people. For three and 1/2 games the Lakers dominated and only a Henderson steal of a bad James Worthy pass made us win Game 2 and gave us a prayer.... Then McHale stopped a Rambis breakaway Lay-up. The Celtics stopped playing like Sissies. The Lakers stopped running because Boston got all the rebounds. And Magic missed two FTs. And Larry hit his turnaround shot..... And ML Carr stole the ball and proclaimed the Celtics back. Boston Garden grimly held on for Victories Games 5 and 7 in 1984 (My very first year in Seattle - and my obnoxiousness was viewed as a slight to the West coast - and hurt my career greatly)
[Hint it is 2010 and I returned to Seattle - I believe history repeats itself - but I shall leave the histrionics out and write in here instead]
No. 1 - The return to the Rafters - Game 6 of the 2008 Finals - Celtics left no doubt who the best team was that year and after waiting 1/2 a lifetime personally - Glory returned and I finally got to smoke that Victory Cigar under a Full Red Auerbach moon.......
What new memories will await us in the next two weeks? Isn't this why we live and bleed green in the first place? The regular season and the first three rounds don't matter now. It is time to get in the game.