I’m a bit fuzzy on some of these details – I was attending 99% of the home games in those days – but I distinctly remember the WHAT that happened.
It was early in Larry Bird’s career, before he’d won a title … but Mr. Auerbach’s team had arisen from the humiliating ashes of a 29-win 1978-79 lost season back to its more typical 60-win perch.
During the fourth quarter of a game the Celts pretty much have under control (but not quite at the “prelude to Garbage Time” stage), the referees blow play dead, having recognized a malfunction with the 24-second shot clock, and then head toward the scorer’s table.