The Celtics' charter flight from Boston to Oklahoma City was the subject of a phoned-in bomb threat Saturday night, but most of those on board weren't informed until they landed safely at Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport.
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Celtics coach Brad Stevens said the team's travel and equipment manager and a flight attendant spoke with him about an hour before the plane was scheduled to touch down.
Stevens was informed late in the flight because the crew did not want alarm those on board while the plane staff began an initial inspection.
"I mean, it wasn't enjoyable," Stevens said, via ESPN.com. "Only a few of us knew about an hour left in the flight or so and I thought the staff on board was great at being reassuring about all the checks they had made prior to leaving. And swiftly looking, without drawing much attention to themselves, while we were in the air. Once we landed, we were greeted by a throng of police officers and fire trucks, and were on the tarmac for a while, then went to the fire station there and everybody was great.
"It was a unique experience because everybody's getting interviewed and everything else. Obviously, a lot of great people do their jobs well and reassure you that everything is going to be OK."
Boston players and staffers had their bags inspected by FBI agents, who also interviewed the team at the airport.
The threat was deemed a hoax, much to the relief of those on board.
"It was just really weird. Very unexpected," said Al Horford after Sunday's 99-96 loss to the Thunder.
"I'm glad that [it] was a false alarm."