Celtic Pride

With 15 seconds left in the seventh game of the annual Sixers-Celtics playoff struggle. Eric Fernsten stepped to the foul line for Boston, 1982 was over for the men in White and Green.

But from all sections of the Boston Garden, where 14 flags of championship glory fly, a thunderous chant came rolling down onto the court: "BEAT L.A.! BEAT L.A.! BEAT L.A.!" The Celtic fans last night surrendered with honor and sent their heroes' arch-rivals on to the NBA finals with the support the Sisters deserve.

Rarely do sports fans display such close--especially after the home team has rallied against seemingly insurmountable odds, only to fall short in the final minutes of a thrilling playoff confrontation. What the Garden spectators remembered, however, is that like Bird, Maxwell, Archibald and the rest, they too are responsible for upholding Celtics Pride, and they did by cheering for the team that played better basketball when it counted.

Analyze Boston's poor foul shooting or marvel at Andrew Toney's unstoppable jump shot if you must; complain about the refereeing or remind your roommate from Philadelphia that Tiny spent yesterday on the bench in street clothes. The sophisticated fans, wherever they sat, joined that stirring end-of-game cheer, out of respect for the Celtics and for a team that showed it doesn't choke after all. As far as you're concerned, the championship's been won, Best L.A.