In an interview with Paul Pierce, Brian Scalabrine and Yahoo’s Chris Mannix, Miami Heat champion Chris Bosh explained why the Boston Garden was the hardest place to play in the NBA.

When the Boston Celtics’ Big Three era was dwindling, the Miami Heat’s was ascending. They crossed each other by on the path to the Finals in 2012, when the Heat came back from down 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals to dethrone the Celtics in the East and beat the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Lebron James won his first title and began his journey into the GOAT conversation, while Chris Bosh earned his first ring. In an interview with Yahoo’s Chris Mannix, flanked by Celtics legends Paul Pierce and Brian Scalabrine – yes, legends, plural – Bosh discussed that classic series and why the Boston Garden was the hardest place to play in the NBA.

“It was more like trial and error because we couldn’t beat them in the regular season for like the first two seasons,” Bosh said on the podcast. “I think we won like one regular season game. It became this thing to where like it was a code we had to crack every time. We knew we were going to see them in the playoffs and we have to play a certain way because we know where they’re going to be at.

“We know the toughness on defense that they’re going to bring, leadership, the fans, the environment. People don’t know that about Boston. It’s the toughest place I’ve had to play. To go there and try to win games on the road, you know what I mean, it’s a lot to deal with.”

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