The Celtics should get off to their most spirited start in 21 years when they open the 2008-09 season against the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday, Oct. 28, at home. NBA commissioner David Stern will present championship rings at pregame ceremonies for the 7:30 game, a highlight video will be shown, and the first championship banner earned at TD Banknorth Garden will be raised.  There is something about hoisting a plain, green-and-white cloth to the rafters that trumps even high-tech electronic prompting for raising the excitement level of fans.

"I don't really remember much about it," general manager Danny Ainge said about the Celtics' 16th banner raising in 1986. "But I do remember the banner going up more than the ring ceremony or anything else. "As a player, you just want to play. You want the ring and you know it's a special time, but there is also a game to play. It's a fun time. But you spend days and weeks preparing for the game and you don't prepare for a ceremony.

"It's symbolic for the fans, the organization, and all that. And it's something the fans and the organization as a whole look forward to. It's something everyone will remember for the rest of their lives." Ainge played for the Celtics' '86 titlists, but started the following season on the injured list and was not part of another championship team until the Celtics defeated the Lakers two months ago.

The Celtics-Lakers rematches in 2008-09 are set for Christmas Day in Los Angeles and Feb. 5 in Boston. The Celtics' celebrations won't last long. After a Halloween night home game against Chicago, the Celtics play four of five on the road in a nine-day period. They will have played 17 times - nearly a quarter of the regular season - by the time they visit Charlotte Nov. 29. The Celtics could also be in for some long nights - 11 of their games will start after 8 p.m. "There are all sorts of distractions throughout the course of a season," Ainge said. "There are individual things, delayed plans, travel, all the things every team goes through. It's part of the world; it's part of life."

And, for the first time since the 1980s, the Celtics will officially be the team to beat. They had that designation most of last season, but this time it is based on accomplishment.