A Tommy Heinsohn thread, since today is being celebrated as his day. /1

One of the most memorable Tommy Heinsohn moments came after Ricky Davis blew a fast break dunk by trying to go between his legs. Tommy basically scolded him during the call: “That’s nonsense Ricky!”

Here’s the video: /2

I asked Tommy about it when I called him for a story last year, just because it was incredible and I wanted to hear what he had to say. He remembered the exact play, because of course he did. /3

Nobody else had as much Celtics institutional knowledge. Nobody else ever will have as much Celtics institutional knowledge. Tommy was a top-notch storyteller who remembered every detail of every story. He knew how to bring all of his tales to life. /4

Tommy didn’t ask too much from the Celtics. He just wanted them to play good basketball. He wanted them to fast break and play together. I think that’s why he could fall in love with players so easily. If a guy played to win, Tommy could appreciate him. /5

I think some fans outside of the Boston market didn’t understand Tommy. He was a homer. He openly rooted for the Celtics. But of course he did. He was part of the organization for six decades. Inside the Boston market, people understood Tommy. /6

Tommy’s magic wasn’t in breaking down the game, though he could do that too. It wasn’t in his referee rants, though those were always entertaining. It was in the way he loved basketball. He never lost that joy children have when they step on the court. /7

Tommy loved a good boxout. He loved a scrappy dive to the court. He loved any player who consistently competed for his team, rather than individual stats. In that way, I think he helped shape the way Boston fans think of the game. He taught people to care for good hoops. /8

Tommy did not love Ricky Davis’s style. Even 16 years after the missed dunk.

“He was there for the flash,” Tommy said. “He could have been a great player, but he was still playing high school basketball for the cheerleaders, you know?”

What a line. Salute to Tommy./end thread