Before the game started the next day, Bird saw Red Auerbach on the sidelines. He was sitting in his usual spot wearing sunglasses, and the two exchanged a simple greeting without saying much.
Bird was feeling resentful in his heart. He had given his all to the Celtics, and he once thought he was Auerbach's protégé, only to find out he was not. He was just an adopted son, not someone who truly had Celtics' bloodline flowing through his veins, someone groomed from the beginning to be a Celtic.
The venue for tonight's game was the Fleet Center, not the Boston Garden, making Bird feel even colder.
Bird had never played at the Fleet Center and had no feelings for the place. He was inwardly relieved, knowing if it were the Boston Garden, he would definitely feel upset because it held too many wonderful memories.
When the game started, unexpectedly, both sides played quite intensely.
