In the first game of the 2020-21 season, it will also be the first time a Boston Celtics game has been played since they won their first title more than a half-century ago without Celtics icon Tommy Heinsohn attached to the team in some way.
Heinsohn, who passed this fall after a protracted illness, will be honored by the team he made his life with, winning eight titles as a player, two more as coach and countless other honors. Boston tweeted out a tribute video ahead of the game this afternoon, and will place patches in his memory on all the players’ jerseys suiting up, per CBS Boston.
1957 🏆Tommy and @realbillrussell’s first
1965 🏆Tommy’s last as a player
1969 🏆Russell’s last as a player/coach
1974 & 1976 🏆🏆Tommy won as a coach
1984 🏆Color commentator during the Finals for CBS
1986 🏆Color commentator for the best team in history
2008 🏆Tommy’s last pic.twitter.com/quYlmHjUkU— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 23, 2020
Boston will also lower eight of the team’s 17 banners to court level to honor the Celtic great’s six decades with the team.
Forever Mr. Celtic, #ForeverGreen☘️ pic.twitter.com/GoS5aF3Ijd
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 23, 2020
Watch the tribute embedded above, and keep a tissue handy — it may not be possible to do such a giant justice in the brevity of a tribute video, but they certainly did come close.
