Boston Celtics fan arrested after altercation with police before party at TD Garden

Fans didn’t dare look as the Celtics lost during the Game 4 watch party at TD Garden in Dallas. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

In the early stages of the Celtics’ devastating loss in Dallas on Friday night, Boston police arrested a 19-year-old man for repeatedly shoving a police officer while “highly intoxicated” outside the Game 4 watch party.

Eduardo Caldera traveled from Maine to attend the festive night on Causeway Street. The Celtics wanted to win Banner 18, but the Mavericks had other plans. Dallas beat Boston 122-84, the third-largest defeat in NBA Finals history.

Caldera became separated from his friends who had tickets to the sold-out party, and at around 9:07 p.m., Garden security requested Boston police assistance in escaping the man, who was “highly intoxicated,” according to a police report obtained by the Herald.

After using a police-issued cell phone to contact his mother, Caldera “pushed an officer despite being warned not to do so,” the report states. “Shortly thereafter, he again made physical contact with the officer, at which point the officer warned him that he was about to be arrested.”

Caldera’s mother told her son in a phone conversation that she would pick him up from a downtown police station. But as officers escorted Caldera to Causeway Street to pick him up, “he shoved one of the officers again,” the report said.

The alleged scene led to Caldera being arrested for assault on a police officer. It was the only arrest made by Boston police at the election party, a department spokesman told the Herald on Saturday.

What could have been a night of celebration had the Celtics managed the sweep was marred by at least one brawl among fans in the stands as Dallas inflicted Boston’s heaviest defeat of the season.

Garden police officers and security separated at least four fans who had gotten into a fight in the box and escorted one out of the arena as the Mavericks extended their lead to more than 40 points early in the fourth quarter.

Video of the fight went viral and was shared on social media by Barstool Sports and personalities who work for the hugely popular sports and pop culture media company.

“Their first loss in over a month and Celtics fans are turning on each other at their own watch party,” posted Barstool Sports. Its founder and owner Dave Portnoy commented, “PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE! . It’s 3-1!!! Attitude!!! Attitude! Attitude!!!

In a separate post later Saturday, Portnoy said, “My concern about the Celtics is currently 0%. If they lose on Monday, it’s 97%.”

In the run-up to Game 4, Boston police prepared for a possible championship celebration outside the Garden, setting up a series of barricades and warning motorists and pedestrians that the streets surrounding the arena would be closed at halftime.

“In this area, it is also not possible to re-enter facilities,” said a traffic warning.

After the loss, the Celtics are ahead 3-1 and want to end the series in Game 5 on Monday. Tickets on StubHub cost a whopping $1,347 on Saturday afternoon.