BOSTON -- The cheers began with about 20 minutes before tipoff Wednesday, when Kobe Bryant emerged from the visitor's tunnel and hustled onto the parquet floor once more.
They grew when his grinning mug graced the JumboTron during warm-ups, with fans edging toward the court, unholstering smart phones to snap pictures.
Then, a bit later, the starting introductions, the evening's most anticipated moment at TD Garden. What reaction would follow, given everything that came before -- the history, with him, with the Los Angeles Lakers?
Celtics PA man Eddie Palladino gave the first four Lakers the usual visitor treatment -- quick, easy, monotone -- and then a seconds-long pause followed as the camera panned to Bryant, alone on the bench.