BOSTON – Paul Pierce tried to maintain his emotions Sunday evening as he began to raise a banner containing nine retired Boston Celtics jersey numbers to the TD Garden rafters.
The numbers of previously retired legends revealed themselves in pairs of two as the banner gradually unfolded from the parquet floor. First, there were numbers 3 and 33 – Dennis Johnson and Larry Bird. Next, came digits 32 and 35 – Kevin McHale and Reggie Lewis. Then, came numbers 00 and 31 – Robert Parish and Cedric Maxwell.
Finally, the banner’s last number was revealed, sitting on a row all by itself.