Why Celtics Will Be Happy To Finally Have Fans Back At TD Garden

In less than two weeks, the Boston Celtics will host fans at TD Garden for the first time since the NBA shut down in March 2020 due to COVID-19.

Fans aren’t the only ones excited about this, either.

As head coach Brad Stevens noted Tuesday on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zo and Bertrand,” there’s a noticeable difference when fans aren’t in attendance at games. After all, the C’s already started playing in front of some spectators while visiting various teams in other cities.

“I don’t know if we’ve played a road game in the last 10 that hasn’t had fans,” Stevens said. “So, the only time we don’t have fans is here, and you can tell the difference. It’s like (assistant general manager) Mike Zarren is is trying to make as much noise as he can across the way, but there’s only so much that he can do. He’s trying to cheer as loud as he can.”

But don’t get Stevens wrong. He isn’t upset with how Massachusetts has handled the pandemic.

“I don’t want this to come across wrong, because I think the leadership of Massachusetts has done a good job with COVID,” Stevens said. “And all you need to do is travel to Texas or Florida to learn that. I mean, it’s unbelievable how different Houston is — being in Houston the last three days — than it is in Massachusetts.”

The Celtics will welcome fans back March 29 against the New Orleans Pelicans.