■ In 1980-81, their inaugural season paired on telecasts, Kevin Garnett was 5 years old and presumably frightening his fellow kindergartners with his intensity during recess kickball games.

■ And Rajon Rondo wouldn’t be born for another five years.

“Yeah, this will be the 29th year,’’ said Gorman, 61, who with his measured but affable style remains as good as it gets on basketball play-by-play. “It sound strange to say, but sometimes it’s almost embarrassing how easy, or maybe I should say enjoyable, this job is. In large part, that’s because of the comfort level between me and Tommy, but also because we’ve been really fortunate with the comfort level people have for us.’’

According to Comcast SportsNet New England, Gorman and Heinsohn are the longest-running continuous broadcast pairing in pro sports. And their partnership actually began before they called Celtics games; they first worked together on Providence College broadcasts in the late ’70s.

Given their longevity and mutual respect, it’s no wonder the chemistry and camaraderie between Heinsohn and Gorman remains so seamless.

“He starts a sentence, I finish it, and vice-versa,’’ said Heinsohn, who at 75 will work all but 17 games this season, with Donny Marshall filling in on longer trips “Our styles complement each other, and we both take the approach that we should leave room for the game to breathe. Neither one of us is enamored with hearing ourselves talk.

“And Mike’s been a friend for a long time. We get along really, really well, during the games, but also after and before the games.’’

This season, CSN has 57 exclusive regular-season Celtics telecasts, as well as 13 that will be shared with networks. Twelve Celtics games will air exclusively on national television (six on ESPN, six on TNT, including Tuesday’s opener at Cleveland). CSN, which will air its first game Wednesday when the Celtics host Charlotte, will carry pregame and postgame programming for all 82 games.

Gorman and Heinsohn agreed that the Celtics, with the return to health of Garnett and the addition of Rasheed Wallace, have a cast capable of hanging an 18th banner in the Garden.

“You hate to put a ton of pressure on ’em, but barring a major injury, they’re a pick ’em to win the whole thing,’’ Gorman said.