Celtics make stop at Fenway Park

BOSTON – A fast-moving thunderstorm didn’t dampen the Fenway Park fans’ spirit for the NBA champion Boston Celtics on Friday night.

Honored during a brief pregame ceremony as heavy rain was falling, the NBA champs – atop three duck boats – entered from center field and circled Fenway to a standing ovation, a shortened scene from their parade through downtown on Thursday.

With the Red Sox players wearing green jerseys usually reserved for St. Patrick’s Day during spring training in Florida, the Celtics brought the NBA championship trophies from four seasons to Fenway. The players wore their warmups, with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett leading their teammates with pumping fists and waves to a crowd as the rain was pouring and the grounds crew was putting the tarp on the field.

After about an hour delay, the champions came running in from center field, with Finals MVP Pierce sliding into second.

Pierce then took the mound to chants of “MVP” before firing a high and hard first pitch that tipped off the glove of leaping catcher Jason Varitek.

Coach Doc Rivers then said: “Play ball!” before the Red Sox took the fieldagainst St. Louis.