For nearly four decades almost everyone in the NBA joked about the ghosts hanging out inside the old Boston Garden, home of the 16-time world champion Celtics.

Whenever John Havlicek stole a pass or Bill Russell blocked a shot or Larry Bird tossed one in from behind the backboard, someone would bring up the ghosts of Celtics past, as if Boston wasn’t just good, but also protected by some otherworldly force.

Of course, then the Birds, Russells. Havliceks and Kevin McHales all retired and the guys who replaced them didn’t scare anybody. The franchise hasn’t won a title in 22 years, hasn’t played for one for 21 seasons and hasn’t reached an Eastern Conference final in 20 years.

But for one stunning moment early Sunday evening, the Big Green battling for its playoff life against LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavs, it certainly appeared as if someone from the glory days was watching over a Paul Pierce free throw.

There, with 7.9 seconds to go, Pierce — who had already scored 39 points — appeared to badly brick a free throw with Boston clinging to a three-point lead.

The ball hit the back of the rim and kicked high into the air. On the foul line Pierce grimaced. He knew LeBron had already scored 45 points. What would three or four more be to one of the league’s three or four best players.

But then something that used to happen all the time when Bird or Havlicek or Russell were Celtics happened once again. The shot bounced through the goal.

Even Pierce admitted he may have gotten a little help from the supernatural.

Referring to legendary coach Red Auerbach, who passed away in October of 2006 at the age of 89, Pierce said, “The ghost of Red was looking over us. I think he sort of tapped (the free throw) in the right direction. It sort of put a smile on my face.”

Auerbach may be smiling about this latest Celtic triumph, but he can’t help but spin in his grave over the way Boston is advancing through these playoffs, without the benefit of a single road win.

Not that the Celtics must win away from the Garden to claim their 17th world championship. Thanks to winning 66 games during the regular season, the Green Machine holds the homecourt edge for as long as they’re alive.

They’ll have the homecourt advantage against the Detroit Pistons when the Eastern Conference finals begin Tuesday night. Win the East, and they’ll have homecourt for the NBA Finals against either the Lakers, Hornets or Spurs, depending who ultimately wins the West.

So they could remain winless away from home and win it all.

But it’s hard to imagine Kobe Bryant not willing the Lakers to at least one road victory at Boston should LA reach the finals. And it’s equally hard to imagine San Antonio — should they somehow win their first road game at New Orleans in tonight’s Game 7 between those two — not winning once in the Garden.

Same for the Hornets should they ultimately become the West’s best.

As for Detroit, if point guard Chauncey Billups is even 85 percent recovered from his hamstring woes, the Pistons look imminently capable of winning at least once in Boston.

On the other hand, Boston hasn’t lost a single home game since March 24, the Celtics do have more depth than anyone and if Ray Allen ever finds his long lost jumper, the Lakers may be the only team still alive they might be an underdog against.

And while we’re discussing LA, the Celtics were 2-0 against their bitter rivals during the regular season, winning by 19 points at Los Angeles and by 13 at Boston. So even though Kobe might be the best player on the floor and Lakers coach Phil Jackson has more than a slight edge on the Celts’ Doc Rivers, Boston isn’t going to disappear over the thought of facing down the Lakers.

For many sports fans, the most impressive moment of the weekend was Big Brown’s runaway win Saturday in the Preakness, the second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. But Sunday brought the Celtics a Big Brown of their own in 38-year-old forward P.J. Brown, who came off the bench to score 10 points, most of them down the stretch.

Brown didn’t sign with the Celtics until late in the season. He rarely played until Sunday. But putting on that storied jersey in a crucial Game 7 seemed to change him, as it has so many Celtics from the past.

Is it all enough to hoist a 17th banner?

Let’s just say that if Pierce’s free throw was any indication, they’ve got at least a ghost of a chance.

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