Playing in Boston Garden was like “going to one of the old Roman amphitheaters where they threw the Christians to the lions,” according to Wilt Chamberlain.

Playing in Boston Garden was like “going to one of the old Roman amphitheaters where they threw the Christians to the lions,” according to Wilt Chamberlain.

Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain have one of the most recognizable rivalries in NBA history. While Russell’s extraordinary championship success with his Boston Celtics led to a one-sided rivalry between Bill and Wilt. Russell has eleven career titles, far surpassing Chamberlain’s two, even though he won titles with two separate clubs. The TD Garden served as the Celtics’ stronghold throughout that period, which contributed to their ongoing success. When talking about his rivalry with Russell in 1996, Chamberlain recalled that fans would be cruel to visiting players.

Playing in Boston Garden, according to Wilt, was like “entering one of the old Roman amphitheaters where the Christians were thrown to the lions.” And despite the fact that he was wearing extremely dark sunglasses and that he is, Wilt Chamberlain seemed to become emotional. Things shift. These days, he and Russell get along fantastically. Russell admitted that there had been tension between them at one point, but they had since moved past it. Everything about it was political. Russell seemed to have meant that literally, given Wilt’s political leanings. Russell shocked most of us by saying, “I had Thanksgiving dinner with him and his family six years in a row in Philadelphia,” since most of us imagined they had only sworn at each other for fifteen years. “The contest.

Though they were both fierce rivals on the court, there was nothing more beneficial for Russell and Chamberlain than to go off against one another. Because they were in competition with one another and held each other in high esteem, these two constantly challenged each other to improve. Facing the best brings out the best in you. Do the Celtics Still Have a Significant Home-Court Advantage? In terms of NBA basketball’s “traditional powers,” two teams immediately come to mind: the Lakers and the Celtics. But over time, many of the factors that made the TD Garden such a potent home court have diminished as society and the game have advanced.

The players are no longer scared to the point of near death by fans. There’s no denying that the Celtics have a slight advantage at home because players like LeBron James still detest being in Boston. The squad want to recreate its 2022 NBA Finals performance, but this time they want to win the championship.