Celtics Fans Send Off Sixers with Beat LA Chant

May 24, 1982

Stunning. Surprising. Classy. With 21 seconds remaining in the ballgame, the Boston fans started chanting, "Beat LA! "Beat LA!" Principals on both the Celtics and 76ers were highly impressed.

GERRY HENDERSON: "It was super. It was good for Philadelphia, good for their fans, good for the city of Boston and good for the NBA."

RICK ROBEY: "Great. It showed what type of fans we've got. Only classy people would do that after the series we've had with them."

K.C. JONES: "It was totally new. But very classy."

BILL FITCH: "I was proud of our fans. I don't think we would have had that type of reaction in Philadelphia. It showed a lot of class, and I think the team appreciated it."

MIKE BANTOM: "I was very surprised to hear it. The fans here are usually very hostile. I was very surprised to hear anything like that."

DARRYL DAWKINS: "It was very pleasing. Evidently, they thought if we were good enough to beat their team, we were good enough to beat LA."

JOHNNY MOST: "It was an act of class the likes of which I've never seen, and I certainly hope the people in Philadelphia hear about it."

Inasmusch as the Sixers were booed off the court by their own fans Friday, perhaps the club would like to petition the NBA to play its home games in the final at Boston Garden.