Celtics Legend Bob Cousy Makes Plea To Boston Amid NBA Finals

Bob Cousy played a hand in helping raise six of the 17 NBA championship banners that hang from the TD Garden rafters.

The Basketball Hall of Famer, who will turn 96 years old in early August, is sincerely hoping his beloved Celtics can take care of business against the Dallas Mavericks and add a new banner to the collection.

“I’m 95 (expletive) years old with one foot in the grave and I can barely move,” Cousy told The Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy over the phone after Boston took a 2-0 series lead in the Finals. “I know I’m in overtime. So everything in your life becomes more meaningful. And one of the last things I want to be able to see is for the Celtics to hang up banner No. 18.”

There would be no shortage of significance if Jayson Tatum and company were able to pick up two more wins over Dallas. Every championship is historic, but another Boston title this summer would mean a lot in NBA lore.

“I will take great pride in seeing this,” Cousy told Shaughnessy. “This puts us back ahead of the Lakers. To have been a part of that is as good a legacy as I could hope for.”

The Celtics will try to take another step closer to fulfilling Cousy’s wish Wednesday night when they meet the Mavericks for Game 3. Tipoff from American Airlines Center is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.