Grousbeck the owner of winning smile
Only a few stragglers remained at TD Banknorth Garden nearly two hours after the Celtics captured their 17th NBA title.
The court was littered with confetti and TV stations wrapped up their live coverage while the players exited the building.
But Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck remained, rehashing the season with a couple of reporters on the court. As he answered questions, a gentleman rushed toward Grousbeck with his arms open. He wrapped Grousbeck in a bear hug and quickly chanted, "Thank you, thank you, thank you," and went on his way with a grin.
While many elements had to fall into place to develop the Celtics into NBA champions, Grousbeck is the tangible element a fan can grab. Grousbeck could be considered the most visible of the ownership group that includes his father, Irv, Stephen Pagliuca, and Bob and David Epstein.
When the Celtics led the Lakers, 123-86, with nearly two minutes remaining in Game 6 Tuesday night, Grousbeck was flashed on the screen with a cigar sitting in the corner of his mouth. His nod to Red Auerbach did not go unnoticed.
"Red believed in this ownership group," Grousbeck said. "He believed in [Doc Rivers], [Danny Ainge], and [Paul Pierce], and those are the makings of this championship. So Red's influence was felt."
Last year, the Celtics were coming off of a 24-win season and disappointed to learn they had the fifth pick in the NBA draft. The pick turned out to be the spark that got the front office thinking of ways beyond the draft to improve the team.
The result brought in Ray Allen from Seattle and Kevin Garnett from Minnesota to join Pierce.
The day Grousbeck received a call from Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor about the Celtics' final offer, he had a feeling.
"He called me on my cell and said, 'You got him,' and I said, at that second when I hung up my cellphone, 'This is kind of special.' It didn't take any longer than the minute we got KG," Grousbeck said.
Grousbeck, who was part of the group that bought the Celtics in 2002, said he didn't know much about Garnett but liked him the more he learned.
"I didn't know enough about KG," Grousbeck said. "If I had known this much about KG, I would have tried to get him before. We felt we were getting a V-12 engine. We got a nuclear reactor. KG has more power and more intensity and competitiveness than anyone."
Garnett would go on to become the first Celtic to be selected the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year.
Grousbeck praised Rivers's ability to maintain egos as the Celtics added more veterans in Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown down the stretch.
"Young players came in, they learned a lot from the veterans, and the veterans, we truly had to allow the young players to come out here and put their stamp on this team," Ray Allen said. "It's been, I think, a great combination of a give-and-take by both the veterans, the young players, and the coaching staff realizing what each individual's strengths are."
Rivers said that understanding was also important for Allen, Garnett, and Pierce.
"I thought as important as it was that they trusted each other, I thought it was far more important that they trust the other guys. They obviously knew that - Ray knew that Paul and Kevin could play, but they had to trust [Rajon Rondo] and [Kendrick Perkins] and [Leon Powe] and [James Posey]. I thought that was more important than them getting along and they did that."
Now Grousbeck can see the finished product; he said it is "a dream come true" to see Pierce, the NBA Finals MVP, celebrating a title.
In 2002, Pierce had two teeth knocked out in a collision with Amare Stoudemire. He left the game and came back to score 16 points.
"Paul came back into that game, and that happened right in front of my seat," Grousbeck said. "I saw the bloody teeth and Paul came back in and I said, 'Boy, that's a Celtic. That's a competitor.' I've wanted Paul here his whole career and it looks like he'll be here his whole career and now he's got a ring."
