Boston Celtics: My experience being back at the TD Garden in 2021-22

Last Saturday night the Boston Celtics squared off against the Toronto Raptors at the TD Garden in preseason game No. 2 which turned out to be another nail-biting preseason game that I was lucky enough to be in attendance for, as the Cs came away with a 113-111 victory.

Any time I get a chance to go to a game, no matter the stakes, I cherish it because honestly, there is no better place to experience a basketball game than the Garden.

Let me tell you guys a little bit about my experience going to the game, as well as what you can expect if you’re going to catch one there this season.

First off, everyone needs to be prepared for the COVID-19 protocols. When arriving at TD Garden, you must present them with proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test.

Failure to comply with either will result in you not being able to access the building.

If for some reason you are not vaccinated and happened to forget to get tested before the game, there are testing stations outside the Garden.

As for the mask policy, you must wear a mask at all times, regardless of vaccination status, unless you are actively eating or drinking. This policy is very strict, multiple times during the game I witnessed TD Garden workers come up to people in my section and continuously ask them to keep their masks on.

Now, I have been to many great games at the Garden. The first game of the Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen & Paul Pierce era, the 2008 banner and ring ceremony, and LeBron James‘ last game as a Cleveland Cavalier.

All those games were special in their own right, and the atmosphere was electric.

With this only being a preseason game, It clearly isn’t on the same level as those games. But when I tell you it felt eerily similar to them, that’s not an exaggeration. From the jump, fans were getting into it, they made the Raptors feel their presence every chance they got.

Towards the end of the game, during the final few possessions, you could really feel the intensity of the crowd picking up. Once that noise meter popped up on the jumbotron it felt like the roof was going to explode.

The electric atmosphere, for a preseason game, is why Boston Celtics fans are truly the best in the NBA.

All in all, it was a great night at the TD Garden. I was able to have a couple of beverages, talk to other Celtics fans, and, at the end of the night, the team pulled out the victory.

The regular season starts in less than a week and there are 41 more homes games on the schedule, which means there are plenty of opportunities for you guys to check out and feel what it’s like watching to watch a Boston Celtics game live at the Garden.

I know I’ll be back again later this season, during a time where I have a feeling the game will have a little bit more meaning behind it.