The WNBA arrived in Boston with a bang Tuesday night at TD Garden.
The Connecticut Sun hosted the Los Angeles Sparks in front of a sellout crowd in the first WNBA game ever played at the home of the Boston Celtics. Among the 19,156 fans in attendance for Connecticut's thrilling 69-61 victory were a pair of Celtics stars: forward Jayson Tatum and guard Jrue Holiday, who was seated in the front row with his wife, Lauren Holiday, and their two children.
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Holiday and Tatum received loud ovations from the sellout crowd when they were shown on the Jumbotron, and both players posed for photos with Sun players after the game. Celtics rookies Baylor Scheierman and Anton Watson were in the house, as well.
Tuesday night's game indeed had a special feel, with Sun players relishing in the experience of playing in front of a sellout crowd at an NBA arena.
"We've been in Connecticut a long time, so to play in front of a fanbase like this, I think it gave us another level of energy tonight," All-Star forward Alyssa Thomas said after the game.
"It felt great. It felt like what every night should feel like," guard DiJonai Carrington added.
The Sun's home arena is about two hours outside Boston in Uncasville, Conn., with a max capacity of 10,000 fans. And while they have a strong following in Connecticut as one the WNBA's best teams over the past half-decade, Tuesday's experience in Boston just felt different, thanks in part to the Celtics showing their local WNBA squad some love.
"Being a W fan, I've watched her in person a few times, and seeing her in person is just different," Holiday told NBC Sports Boston sideline reporter Terrika Foster-Brasby when asked about Thomas, who showed out with nine points, 16 rebounds and eight assists.
Tuesday night was proof of concept that fans in Boston will show up to watch the WNBA. So, could we see the Sun back in the city of champions in the near future?
"(There's a) great sports fan base here in the New England area, in the Boston area," Sun coach Stephanie White told reporters Tuesday. "I think that this opportunity for us as the Connecticut Sun to expand our footprint into Boston and to see the results with a sold-out crowd -- I think it's a no-brainer."
