He sat on the bench after the first four starters had been announced, soaking in as much as he could hold.
The cheers began even before public address announcer Eddie Palladino lit up the speakers with, “And at the other forward . . .”
Kobe Bryant was lost in the moment.
“I just can’t believe this is the last time I’m going to be here,” Bryant said later. “You know? It seems like yesterday we were playing the Finals here. It’s just crazy. It’s crazy.”
The ovation and “Kobe-Kobe” chants lasted nearly a minute, bleeding into the video that sets up the Celtics introductions.