Column | First hand experience of a city minutes after winning a championship

Elation was in the air. They had done it. The Celtics, after 16 years, had won their 18th championship. 

I had the privilege of visiting Boston during the NBA Finals, specifically the day of Game 5 — the series-clinching win for the Celtics. 

As the weekend ramped up, Celtics gear was everywhere. On every corner, you could see someone sporting a green and white Celtics jersey. The most interesting shirt was one sold at many streetside clothing stands. In Celtics colors, the shirt simply stated “Kyrie sucks” in all capital letters.

Kyrie Irving left the team in 2019, after stating that he was committed to staying in Boston. His return with the Dallas Mavericks for the finals increased the tension for the upcoming game.

Ticket prices for Game 5 were through the roof. With the average ticket costing $3,978, this game was one of the most expensive sporting events in Boston’s illustrious history. 

Therefore, many chose to spend their time watching the game at bars, including myself. Once the game started, the atmosphere at the bar was loud and raucous, especially as the Celtics jumped out to an early lead. While much of the play was unremarkable on its own, a three-point shot by Payton Pritchard to end the first half saw the room erupt with cheers. 

However, after the first half ended, I headed down to Causeway Street, where the TD Garden was located. When I arrived in the middle of the third quarter, I was surprised to see fences everywhere. The Boston Police Department had set up barricades after the game had started, effectively blocking many fans from getting near the stadium. 

That, however, didn’t stop people from showing up. As the game carried on, hundreds of people gathered. Some were frantically refreshing the ESPN app while others were watching the game live on their phone. Soon, the streets that bordered Causeway were full of a couple thousand people dressed in green and white. 

With more people came more barricades, and with that, more trouble. As the game was winding down and it was clear the Celtics would hold onto their double-digit lead, people began to climb the light poles and street signs. Multiple arrests were made for those who did not get down, as the crowd screamed, clapped and recorded the madness. 

Finally, the game ended. The crowd erupted into cheers and many people hugged each other. Someone brought a large speaker and began to play music. Some of the hits included Queen’s “We Are The Champions,” Sheck Wes’ “Mo Bamba” and Pop Smoke’s “Dior.” 

This continued for at least the next hour, as people kept dancing and celebrating. At times, it was suffocating, as there were so many people in the area near the arena. It seemed as if everyone was able to forget their problems, at least for a little while. I heard one man scream that he had not been this happy since his wedding night. 

The atmosphere continued as I left the area and headed back to my hotel. I had to walk through Boston’s main park to get back. One of the main streets bordering the park is Tremont, and cars were constantly driving down the street playing music and honking. I personally returned at least 25 high fives in my short trip back. 

Although Boston is a city with a strong pedigree of winning, they didn’t take the championship for granted. One can hope that this sort of environment returns soon to the city of Pittsburgh, as they would celebrate just as strongly.