The Celtics are "preparing an application to become a host city" for a future NBA All-Star Game after not having hosted the event in 53 years, according to Gary Washburn of the BOSTON GLOBE. Celtics ownership has "shied away from presenting an application to the NBA because a majority of the team’s season ticket-holders wouldn’t be able to get their same seats for the All-Star Game." But Celtics Managing Partner Wyc Grousbeck said that the group has "decided to prepare an application and the NBA would likely relish a chance to bring the game to one of its most historic cities." Grousbeck: "We’re looking at an application package. But we have to work it out with the Convention Center. We are going to ask for an application package and we’ll see what happens." The "soonest Boston could host the All-Star Game" would be '22. More NBA cities have "applied for the game in recent years" after L.A., New Orleans, and Houston all "hosted the game twice in 12-year span." The last time Boston hosted the All-Star Game was '64 (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/24).
DECK THE HALLS: ESPN.com's Chris Forsberg noted the Celtics yesterday hosted their first Christmas game in a loss to the Wizards. Celtics President Rich Gotham said that for much of the past two decades, TD Garden "simply wasn't available on Christmas Day." However, with the Celtics "returning to basketball prominence in recent seasons and having alerted the league to their desire to host on Christmas Day, the two sides moved quick to bring holiday basketball to Boston for the first time." For TD Garden, "finding willing workers for a Christmas home game" was a "bit more challenging." Building management "tried to offer as many incentives as possible." TD Garden President Amy Latimer: "We came up with a theme of it's Santa's last stop. So we're doing raffles, we've got TVs, headphones, all sorts of stuff. And then we're giving away an exclusive T-Shirt that day for anybody that works. ... We're trying to make it fun for our associates to come in and work that day" (ESPN.com, 12/23).
