Courtesy the Boston Herald

(October 22, 2010) Ask Mike Gorman (left), the Celtics’ familiar and ever-excellent play-by-play voice on Comcast SportsNet New England telecasts, if it feels as though he’s been working alongside Tommy Heinsohn for 30 years, and his reply is a perfect deadpan:

“Every second of it.’’

Standard answer, Mike?

“Actually, that’s the first time it came out,’’ he said, laughing.

The joke is obvious for those familiar with their work, for it’s hard to imagine a broadcast team with more chemistry and camaraderie.

Heinsohn, the legendary ex-Celtic player and coach who remains a boisterous if referee-phobic analyst at 76, and Gorman are about to begin their 30th season together. Although they were already established as the longest-running continuous television broadcast team in professional sports, CSNNE and the Celtics are putting particular emphasis on their latest milestone.

“I don’t want to sound corny, but I used to sneak into the Garden up the fire escape and bang on the door on the second balcony until somebody would let us in and sit there and watch Tommy and Cooz [Bob Cousy] play,’’ Gorman said. “So to find myself beside him, for 30 years, it’s just a treat.

“And you know, we’re good friends. We’ve managed a 30-year relationship in what can be a difficult business, and I could count the number of spats we’ve had on two or three fingers, and they never lasted more than a day or two. It’s really been fun.’’

Gorman, who is quick to emphasize the contributions of longtime director Jim Edmonds and producer Paul Lucey, said he and Heinsohn clicked immediately — they’d actually worked together in the late ’70s while calling Providence College games — but also says their on-air relationship and their approach to calling the game has evolved.

“Tommy claims I make this story up, but I remember this very clearly,’’ said Gorman. “The very first game I ever did with Tommy, I remember coming in and having just voluminous notes. A spotting chart made out with all sorts of numbers and histories and anecdotes and everything I could find out about every player on it.

“And I remember Tommy looking at it and going, ‘What’s that?’ I said, ‘Those are my notes, the stuff I’m going to use during the game.’ And he reached out and picked it up and turned it over on the table and said, ‘We’re not gonna need that.’

“And that has kind of been our style ever since.’’

Unlike other broadcast teams, Gorman and Heinsohn take the approach that those watching are knowledgeable and don’t need to be patronized.

“We do the game for Celtics fans, we are Celtics fans, we don’t offer any pretense that we’re somehow unbiased, and I think what separates us from most is that we assume if you’re watching the game, you know a lot,’’ Gorman said. “You don’t need me to tell you Paul Pierce’s history and where he went to college and everything else.’’

Gorman said if there’s one thing that’s changed for him over the years — besides his hair color — it’s that he’s mellowed a bit, to the point that he gets a kick out of letting Heinsohn try to dig his own way out of trouble every now and then.

“I thoroughly enjoy the moments on the air when Tommy’s chewing on a piece of pizza when he’s trying to do a replay,’’ Gorman said. “I thoroughly enjoy those. Whereas before I probably wouldn’t have said anything, now I don’t let him get off the hook on those moments. And I’m not about to start doing it again.’’

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