If 2008's soldout game between the Celts and Sixers at the Mullins Center is an indicator, this October's matchup should be equally popular with hoops fans from around the Pioneer Valley.
Celtics' Paul Pierce, center, rebounds the ball between Philadelphia's Thaddeus Young, left, and Samuel Dalembert during the first quarter of an Oct. 8, 2008, game at the Mullins Center in Amherst. AMHERST -- The Boston Celtics will play a preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Mullins Center on Oct. 19, according to Global Spectrum, which manages the 10,500-seat sports and concert arena on the campus of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.
This will be the second preseason match-up between the teams at the Amherst venue, which hosted them in October 2008.
The Sixers, who defeated the Celts, 98-92, in front of a capacity crowd in that October outing, will again have the home-court advantage this fall. The reason for the hometown status for an out-of-town team is simple: The Sixers and Global Spectrum are both owned by Comcast-Spectacor, an international entertainment and sports company.
Paul Pierce takes flight in this AP file photo."It's exciting for us to be able to bring the Sixers to the Mullins Center this season, as we enjoy being able to showcase our two professional teams at some of the venues we manage each year," Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko, a 1981 UMass graduate, said in a release Monday.
"Personally, for me, this is a thrill to be back on the campus of my alma mater, UMass, where we, as a company, can help give back to the school by providing valuable on-site educational experiences for interns and students affiliated with the sports management program here at UMass," said Luukko, who graduated with a degree in sports management.
Delonte West saves the ball in this AP file photo.Tickets, including VIP and hospitality packages, go on sale June 8 at 10am. Tickets are available at the Mullins Center Box Office and at all Ticketmaster outlets. More information is available at www.mullinscenter.com.
Besides the Mullins Center, Philadelphia-based Global Spectrum (www.global-spectrum.com) manages more than 100 other public facilities around the world.
CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO OF THE COURTSIDE ACTION between these legendary NBA teams the last time they played in Amherst in October 2008: