Jaylen Brown moved into 10th place on the Celtics' all-time scoring list Wednesday night.
Jaylen Brown moved into 10th place on the Celtics' all-time scoring list Wednesday night.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
During the first quarter Wednesday night, the Celtics honored Hall of Fame center Robert Parish, in town promoting his new book and making a rare appearance at TD Garden.
Highlights of Parish’s glory years were displayed on the video board, and the towering big man, still in remarkable condition, stood to acknowledge the standing ovation.
Moments such as these are commonplace in Boston, as legends often return to the Garden and receive deserved adulation. An hour or so later, Jaylen Brown passed the great Dave Cowens for 10th on the franchise’s all-time scoring list, just behind teammate Jayson Tatum.
The 120-99 win over the Warriors was necessary for the Celtics to continue their hold on the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference as the regular season reaches the final 15 percent. But it was also about acknowledging the past, and perhaps Brown and Tatum envisioning a future where they are the legends being revered as they return to Boston.
Brown scored 32 points in 35 minutes as he continues his MVP-caliber campaign. The Warriors were severely shorthanded, with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Al Horford, and Moses Moody out, and the Celtics spent the game staving off mini Golden State rallies as Brown was unstoppable at times against an overwhelmed defense.
He continues his career-best season and one of the better individual seasons in Celtics history. His 28.5-point average is sixth in franchise history behind Tatum, Larry Bird (twice), Isaiah Thomas, and John Havlicek. And reaching 10th in franchise scoring is another notable accomplishment is a career that is likely to be appreciated more after Brown is retired.
“I’m very grateful. A lot of legends on that list who made big contributions to the Celtics but also to the game of basketball,” Brown said. “I’m very humbled and very grateful to be in the position I’m in.”
Brown and Tatum are accustomed to these legend visits. They have witnessed the number retirements of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. They’ve watched as several former Celtics, including Kristaps Porzingis on Wednesday, returned to the Garden and received video tributes and loud applause. It’s a Boston tradition.
The Celtics appreciate their own. They honor their past. Such observances impress players because they envision themselves eventually returning to Boston as retired players, seeing their highlights on the big screen and hearing the Garden crowd, conjuring memories of the old days.
“Honestly, I can’t even think that far ahead,” Brown said. “Part of me wants to say when I’m done you’re never going to see me again. But who knows? Obviously, Parish is a legend. It’s always good to see him out there. He looks good, looks in great shape. So it’s great to have him around.”
Tatum is a basketball historian and has a deep appreciation for the Celtics’ greats. He was giddy at All-Star Weekend last year in Indianapolis when he met Bird for the first time. Being part of that history is something he cherishes.
“It means everything. I was here when Paul got his number retired, I was there for KG, and they were two special moments and special days,” Tatum said. “I just felt honored and lucky that I’m around and on the team and got to witness that. Those guys dedicated a lot to the game of basketball, to this organization. To see them come back and receive the love and appreciate what they earned and deserve … as a player I understand what they went through and what goes into being an NBA player. So, it’s really just a cool moment to see other people receiving their flowers.”
Coach Joe Mazzulla has consistently been lauded by observers, including several former Celtics, for guiding this team to such a surprising record. He chatted briefly with Parish, one of his admirers, before his pregame media session. Mazzulla doesn’t express a lot of emotion about himself or his accomplishments. He’s too focused on the present to analyze the past, but the compliments and kudos are not lost on him.
“We always talk about that this job wouldn’t be what it was if the people before us didn’t do what they did,” Mazzulla said. “Robert Parish is at the top of that list. What he’s done as a player, what he’s done for the city, what he’s done for basketball. When you take this job, when you have this job, you realize the gratitude and the respect that comes with it, and it’s our responsibility to move it forward the way that they did. So, really a ton of gratitude for him and his teammates and people that have come before us to make this job, to make this city, what it is.”
Mazzulla said he does not take being the coach of the Celtics for granted. But he also does not want the job to completely define him. Like Brown, he is living in the moment, consumed with winning now, and the rest will take care of itself later.
“You just try to be grateful for it,” Mazzulla said. “It’s not going to last forever. I try not to be attached to it. It’s something that I’m not going to do forever. It’s something that is not always going to be the most important thing. If you stay attached to it, if it becomes your identity, it can be scary. So, I think it’s just about having the gratitude for it, having an understanding of this is where I’m at now.
“It’s a great place to be and you just have gratitude for that. But it only is that way because of the people that came before you.”
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.