The Boston Celtics took advantage of their longest break of the early season to participate in a charitable outreach event.
Many members of the team visited Boston Children’s Hospital on Friday to spend time with more than 40 patients and their families, according to reports from Yahoo Sports.
This visit marks the continuation of an annual tradition that dates back to 2010.
Players in attendance included Mike Conley Jr., Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, Jayson Tatum, and Luka Garza.
Team owner Bill Chisholm and President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens were also present for the event, as noted by Celtics Wire.
The athletes spent their time off visiting hospital rooms, signing autographs, and playing games like Connect 4 with the children.
Beyond the personal time spent with patients, the organization recently announced a gift of more than $200 million to support pediatric care and research at the facility.
Garza, who joined the team last year, expressed the significance of the visit for both the players and the families.
He added that since many of the children are fans of the team, the visit allows the players to share moments of laughter with those who cannot attend games at TD Garden.
The Celtics have not played since Wednesday, Nov. 11, when they secured a comeback victory against the Toronto Raptors after trailing by 22 points, according to data from USA Today.
The team currently holds a 10-2 record.
They are scheduled to return to the court on Sunday afternoon to host the Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavericks enter the matchup with a 7-5 record, per official league statistics.