Thursday night was almost certainly the first time, and most likely the last, that a professional sports team banned fans from bringing Honey Nut Cheerios to the game.
Ordinarily, this wouldn't even be an issue. But based on what had happened a few weeks earlier at Madison Square Garden, the Celtics decided to make a pre-emptive strike against Boston fans who wanted to enhance their heckling with a visual aid.
The controversy started in New York when Kevin Garnett of the Celtics trash-talked Carmelo Anthony by making a crude reference involving Honey Nut Cheerios and the estranged wife of the Knicks forward. Garnett and Anthony had to be separated on the court after that comment. Then after the game, Anthony tried to confront Garnett by the Boston team bus, an action that resulted in a one-game league suspension.
With the scene shifting to Boston on Thursday for the first meeting between the teams since the Cheerios flap, the Celtics prohibited fans from bringing in boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios or signs with the cereal.
For the most part, security confiscated any rogue cereal boxes. But there were some sneaky fans who managed to get past security.
Alas, the issues of taunting or retaliation on Anthony's part took a backseat to an important game for both teams. New York won, ending an 11-game losing streak in Boston, and Anthony led all scorers with 28 points.
After the game, Anthony said the feud was finished.
"No grudges between me and KG. Whatever happened, happened," Anthony said. "We spoke about it and it's over."
