The Old Boston Garden

I've been having fun this trip re-reading Magic Johnson's autobiography, specifically the parts about the Lakers battles with the Celtics in the 1980s. I'll share a few excerpts over the next few blog posts:

``The first time I ever saw the Boston Garden, I was shocked at how old and dirty it was. And the visitors' locker room was so small that you could barely get the whole team in there, let along our equipment. There were only two working showers. I was a rookie, and I remember thinking that every single arena where Michigan State had played was better facilities than this dump.

``But when we got out on the floor that night, it was clear that Boston Garden was a great arena for basketball. The lighting was perfect, and the backdrop behind the basket nice and dark. It was a shooters' court, and I could see why Larry was lighting up the place.

``The fans were terrific. Boston and New York crowds were the most knowledgeable in the league. The really appreciated good plays --even from the visiting team. We had to earn their respect, but when we did, they were incredibly generous.''