The Boston Garden
As the name suggests, the Boston Garden was home to the Boston Celtics from 1946 to 1995 and was the longest-tenured arena in the NBA till its doors were closed. The arena was opened in 1928 and was designed specifically with boxing in mind by boxing promoter Tex Richard. Given the intent of the designer, there was close physical proximity between the fans and the court, a theme that contributed so much to the hostile atmosphere of the arena. The Boston Garden is one of the most difficult buildings for any visiting NBA team thanks to its sold-out, high-energy crowd chanting and screaming at your face. The Boston Garden was most famous during the 1980s during the Larry Bird era thanks to the success of the Celtics in this period.
From 1985 to 1987 the Celtics had an incredible 79 – 3 record at home, including an NBA record 40-1 record in the 1985-86 season a feat matched by only the San Antonio Spurs almost 30 years later. In addition to the many playoffs games the Garden also hosted 4 NBA All-Star games and was the first arena to host the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Final at the same time in 1957. Altogether the Celtics won nine championships on their home court and the LA Lakers are the only visitor to claim a championship at the Garden following their win in the 1985 finals. As the millennium was approaching its end it was clear the Garden was becoming outdated thanks to its small capacity poor court, lack of air conditioning, old seats, crampy nature, and lack of modern and luxury amenities so the Garden had to give way to a new arena. The Garden remained vacant three years after the completion of its successor TD Garden and was eventually demolished in 1998. Today The Hub on Causeway stand on it’s site.
Chicago Stadium
Nothing screams Michael Jordan more than the Chicago Stadium. The arena was opened in 1929 and was the largest indoor arena in the world, with over 18,000 capacity. It was primarily the home of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks however the arena hosted the Chicago Bulls of the NBA from 1967 to 1994. The Arena was nicknamed the ‘Madhouse on Madison’ thanks to the zealous nature of the city’s sports fans. For years, it was also known as “The Loudest Arena in the NBA” thanks to its electric atmosphere so much so that getting a ticket to a Bulls or Blackhawks game became an ardent task. The arena hosted the 1973 and 1988 NBA All-Star Games and saw the Bulls clinch the 1992 NBA championship, the only one they would win at this arena. Given its advancement in age and lack of modern facilities, Chicago needed a new arena. The final NBA game at the Chicago Stadium was a 93 – 79 Game 6 win over the Knicks however the very final event before its demolition was a charity game that featured Micheal Jordan and Scottie Pippen. After the Bulls moved to the United Center, the Chicago Stadium was demolished in 1995. The Chicago Stadium site now serves as a parking lot for the United Center.
Charlotte Coliseum
The Charlotte Coliseum was the home of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets from 1988 to 2002, and the Charlotte Bobcats from 2004 to 2005. The arena nicknamed “The Hive” lead the NBA in attendance during the Hornet’s first eight season playing at the arena. It hosted 371 consecutive NBA sell-out games between the years 1988 and 1997 including seven playoff games and the 1991 NBA All-Star Game. The arena was opened in 1988 and at the time was the largest arena in the NBA with a capacity of 24,000. However, the fan support dwindled largely due to public anger towards owner George Shinn thanks to his scandals. It worsened in 2002 when the Hornets relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana till the arena was deemed to be outdated and not suitable for a professional sports team. The Charlotte Coliseum was replaced with the now Spectrum Center and was demolished via implosion in 2007. The former site is now City Park and a mixed-use development.
Omni Coliseum
Omni Coliseum It was the home arena for the Atlanta Hawks from 1972 when it opened till 1997 the year of its closure. When it opened in 1972, it was deemed an architectural marvel thanks to its unique roof, seating, and structural designs. The arena hosted the 1978 NBA All-Star Game, the 1996 Summer Olympics, and important NCAAB games. The Omni did not last nearly as long as many other arenas, the arena lost its place to its successor Philips Arena (now State Farm Arena) due to the smaller capacity of 16,000 and lack of amenities like luxury boxes and club seating compared to the newer arena in other cities. The Omni was closed and demolished in 1997. Philips Arena (now State Farm Arena) was constructed on Omni’s site and opened in 1999.
The Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills commonly referred to as the Palace is a historic one in the NBA. The Palace opened in 1988 and was the home of the Detriot Pistons and was widely considered to be the first modern-style NBA arena thanks to its array of luxury suites, large capacity, and amenities that many other NBA teams were desperately after. The pistons won three NBA titles within its walls including back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990 and also in 2004. Some of the greatest moments in the Palace occurred during the spirited Detroit Pistons/Chicago Bulls rivalry which included players like Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas. The Pistons announced plans to move which is probably due to the location of the Place which is far from the city center. The Pistons played their final NBA game at the Palace in 2017, a 105 – 101 loss to the Wizards, and moved to the Little Caesars Arena the following season. The arena was sold in 2019 and demolished in 2020 to be redeveloped into a mixed-use office park.
Sleep Train Arena
The Sleep Train Arena (originally ARCO Arena) was opened in 1988 and was the home of the Sacramento Kings from 1988 to 2016. The arena was one of the smallest arenas in the NBA with a seating capacity of 17,317 and about 30 luxury suites. One of the most significant moments in this arena has to be the 2002 Western Conference Finals series between the Kings and Lakers. The series went to Game 7 and overtime however the Lakers came out as eventual winners. The atmosphere of the Sleep Train Arena certainly rivals some of the biggest arenas in the NBA. The Kings played their last game in 2016 and donated the site to California Northstate University following the eventual demolition in 2022.
BMO Harris Bradley Center
Also known as the Bradley Center, the arena was one of the oldest active NBA arenas as of 2018. The arena was opened in 1988 and was the home of the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. The Bucks did not have much success in the arena nonetheless, they have witnessed some great players on its court including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, and Larry Bird. The Bradley Center was demolished following the opening of the Bucks’ new Fiserv Forum to be used for future development. In 2021 the site hosted 65,000 fans as the Bucks won their first championship in some years.
McNichols Sports Arena
McNichols Sports Arena was the home of the Denver Nuggets from 1975 to 1999. The arena is notably famous for being the host of the highest-scoring game in NBA history. It was a 186 – 184 outrageous triple-overtime Detroit win over the Nuggets that featured Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas. It was also the game with the most players to score 40 or more points in a single game. Another notable event is the 1984 NBA All-Star Game. The arena lacked luxury suites and club seating and was not up to the NBA standards. The arena was demolished after the Nuggets moved to the Pepsi Center and converted to a parking lot for the nearby Empower Field.
Market Square Arena
Market Square Arena was the home of the Indiana Pacers from 1974 to 1999. They carried on with the stadium from the ABA league to when they joined the NBA in 1976. Their first game as an NBA team at the arena was a 129–122 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics. The arena hosted the 1985 NBA All-Star Game and was the arena Michael Jordan made his comeback from retirement in 1995. Most notably it was the most-watched NBA game on television in 20 years at that time when Jordan returned, the Pacers defeated the Bulls in overtime. The arena was demolished in 2001 and only took 12 seconds to demolish the arena completely. An apartment building and a corporate headquarters now sit on the former site.
Madison Square Garden (1925)
MSG III set the precedent for the current Mecca of Basketball, the Madison Square Garden. The arena was built and opened in 1925 and had a capacity of 18,496 for basketball games. It was the home of the New York Knicks from 1946. The arena hosted three NBA All-Star Games in 1954, 1955, and 1968. As early as the 1950s the arena had poor sight line problems for fans in the upper deck as such, the demand for a new arena was needed. MSG(lll) was demolished in 1968 to pave the way for the current Madison Square Garden.