Thousands of Celtics fans flooded out of TD Garden in celebration following Monday night’s victory during Game 5 of the NBA Finals, their first championship win in exactly 16 years.
The victory came after the Celtics took an early 3-0 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks but dropped a game last Friday in a defeat of 122-84 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, which brought the series back to Boston for another potential clinch game.
Game 5 being home at TD Garden caused a large number of fans to gather hours before the game, congregating at nearby sports bars. Fans lined up as early as 3 p.m., 5 hours ahead of tip-off to secure their spot for the historic game.
In an effort to subdue the significant number of fans celebrating in the streets, sports bars around the city put large pieces of paper over their windows to prevent onlookers from watching the game from outside on the sidewalk.
Additionally, the Boston Police Department made a post on X stating that Causeway St., as well as all the streets off of Causeway to Chardon St., would be shut down to vehicles and pedestrians after the first quarter of the Celtics game. The front of TD Garden was shut down to non-ticket holders long before the game started, with a large number of BPD officers surrounding the perimeter.
As the game progressed with more fans gathering, police began to block off more areas of Causeway St. to fans, and closed off more of the street to vehicles.
Fans who were lined up at bars or gathered in the street before the game were confident of the Celtics’ victory.
“Celtics in five, parade next week, we’re going crazy baby,” said Kyle Schmitz, an excited Celtics fan who was waiting outside Tavern on the Square, a popular sports bar on Causeway St., which had a line of fans around the block.
The game itself matched the anticipation from the fans. The Celtics kept constant pressure on the Mavericks, holding roughly a ten-point lead for the first quarter of the game and pulling ahead for a 67-46 lead at halftime.
The first half ended with a record-breaking 50-foot three-pointer from Payton Pritchard over the half-court line that solidified the optimistic energy from fans for the rest of the game.
Fans in the street got louder with excitement into the third and fourth quarters. As the win seemed inevitable, people began to cheer and dance as the cluster of fans on the barrier near TD Garden got larger as fans piled up and down the closed Causeway St.
The excitement came to a head at 11 p.m. when the win of 106-88 was secured. The collective screaming echoed outside the Garden alongside chants of “F–ck Kyrie,” In reference to Kyrie Irving’s complicated history with the Celtics during his time on the team in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 NBA seasons.
Just minutes after 11 p.m., fans began climbing on top of structures nearby. People on the poles were hyping up fellow fans by leading chants, and other fans gathered on top of the parking entrance of TD Garden.
While fans of all ages were celebrating, mostly younger people participated in climbing up the structures surrounding the Garden. Fans quickly attempted to take down the barriers that kept them away from the entrance of the stadium, with varying levels of success, as many Boston Police were standing in front of the barriers.
These demonstrations in the streets continued well into the early morning with BPD stopping a flurry of fights happening around the area. By the end of the festivities, BPD arrested eight people, including six adults and two juveniles. It was reported that one officer was injured in the process of arresting one of the eight people.
Despite the rowdiness of some, the main focus was on the pure excitement of the area. One fan who came from watching the game inside the Garden talked about the comparison between both spaces of the Garden, outside and inside.
“It’s crazy over here outside [the Garden], but it’s even crazier on the inside,” said Wayne Fisher, a Celtics season ticket holder for the past three years. “[Tonight] is memorable forever.”
The celebration will continue at 11 a.m. on Friday with the Celtics victory parade which starts on Causeway St., passing by Emerson, before ending near the Hynes Convention Center.
