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• By Michael Kaskey-Blomain

• Updated May 18, 2026 at 9:52pm

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Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics fans are a boisterous bunch and as a result, TD Garden can be a very difficult place to play for opposing players.

Some of those players would probably have a different word for Celtics fans.

NBA Players Say Boston Celtics Have Most Obnoxious Fanbase

GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 08: Former Boston Celtics player Bill Walton cheers with fans in the third quarter during Game Three of the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden on June 08, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Celtics won 116-100. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

In an anonymous poll conducted by The Athletic, NBA players voted on which arena has the most obnoxious fans, and the Celtics fans who pack the TD Garden every night dominated with nearly a third (32.1 percent) of the total vote. Clearly, players feel pretty strongly about Boston.

Directly behind the Celtics in the poll are two Atlantic Division rivals. The Philadelphia 76ers have the second-most obnoxious fans, followed by the New York Knicks.

Celtics Also Have Most Passionate Fans in Entire NBA, According to Players

GettyBOSTON – JUNE 08: Boston Celtics fans hold up a banner in Game Two of the 2008 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers on June 8, 2008 at TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

When it comes to sports fandom, being obnoxious and being passionate often goes hand-in-hand, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to Celtics fans.

In addition to being voted as the most obnoxious fanbase by NBA players, Celtics fans were also voted as the most passionate in the same pool. They edged out Knicks fans by just over one percentage point (20.5 to 19.3) to claim the top spot.

From The Athletic:

If there were a direct correlation between organizational success and fan passion, then it would come as no surprise that the Celtics, who have an NBA-best 18 titles in their storied history, topped this list with their TD Garden experience.

But consider this much as a counter to that logic: The Lakers, their longtime rivals who are second in league history with 17 titles and also boast a massive, worldwide fanbase, received just two votes out of 161 for Crypto.com Arena. That speaks volumes about the vast divide in the player experience when they compete in those two buildings.

You could say a lot of things about Celtics fans, but one thing you can’t say is that they don’t care about their team. Their passion is evident to anyone who enters TD Garden on the night of a game, including opposing players.