“He instructed me I used to be one of the best on the earth … I mentioned ‘you’re rattling proper I’m!’”
– Jayson Tatum on what his son, Deuce, mentioned because the confetti fell
THE LINEUP 🏀
What’s inside at the moment’s version?
Jays Lead Cs To Title 18: Tatum & Brown shine to clinch first title collectively
Crew Effort: How Finals MVP Jaylen Brown & the remainder of the Celtics made historical past
The place They Rank: The place this Celtics group stacks up traditionally
Celtics Celebration: From the court docket to the locker room, go contained in the championship get together
Championship Photographs: A few of our favourite photographs from Monday in Boston
BUT FIRST … ⏰
That’s a wrap on the 2023-24 NBA season.
With the Finals full, are you able to record the ten all-time Playoff factors leaders in Celtics franchise historical past? Check your self in NBA Play: Skilled Mode.
1. BROWN, TATUM LEAD CELTICS TO 18TH NBA CHAMPIONSHIP
For the second time in three years, the NBA Finals ended at TD Backyard in Boston.
In 2022, the Celtics needed to watch because the Golden State Warriors celebrated their fourth title in an eight-year span on their residence court docket.
This time, when the clock struck 0:00, inexperienced and white confetti danced within the air as Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics celebrated the franchise’s NBA-record 18th championship – breaking a tie with the rival Lakers with among the finest start-to-finish seasons in NBA historical past.
- 🗣 Tatum: “Developing quick and having failures makes this second that a lot better. … You recognize what it feels prefer to be on the opposite aspect of this and be within the locker room and listening to the opposite group have a good time on your property ground. That was devastating.”
The Celtics gained title No. 18 on the sixteenth anniversary of title No. 17 … on 6/17, within the 617 Boston space code, no much less.
In doing so, this group — constructed across the star duo of Tatum and Invoice Russell NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown — joined Boston’s championship lore.
- 🗣 Tatum: “That is on the high of the mountain. To have the ability to say we did it, that we got here collectively and we gained a championship. Banner No. 18 has been hanging over our head for thus a few years. To know that we’re going to be engraved in historical past.”
How They Did It: After struggling a 38-point loss in Recreation 4 in Dallas, the Celtics jumped on the Mavs from the opening tip and by no means trailed in a 106-88 win – an 18-point victory for title No. 18.
- Tatum turned the sixth participant to publish 30+ pts & 10+ ast in a title-clinching recreation – becoming a member of Steph Curry (2017), Michael Jordan (1991), James Worthy (1988), Walt Frazier (1970) and Jerry West (1969) – whereas changing into the one Celtic with a 30/10 Finals recreation ever
- Brown added 21 factors, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals because the duo mixed to attain 50+ factors in every of Boston’s last two wins to clinch the sequence in 5 video games
The Celtics had been knocking on the championship door since Brown and Tatum got here collectively as teammates in 2017 – after being chosen No. 3 general in consecutive drafts (2016 & 2017). Three seasons ended within the East Finals (2018, 2020 and 2023) and one other within the Finals (2022).
- Each time the group fell quick, the pair heard the chatter develop louder. Might the Jays break by way of?
- 🗣 Brown: “We’ve been by way of rather a lot, the losses, the expectations. The media have mentioned all various kinds of issues: We are able to’t play collectively, we’re by no means going to win. We heard all of it. However we simply blocked it out, and we simply stored going. I trusted him. He trusted me. And we did it collectively.”
- Of their 107th Playoff recreation as teammates, Brown and Tatum lastly silenced the critics because the Celtics accomplished a 16-3 run by way of the 2024 Playoffs – the second-best win proportion since 2003, when all 4 rounds turned best-of-seven
- 🗣 Tatum and Brown: “What they gonna say now?!”
From at the present time ahead, they’ll should say “NBA champion” every time they introduce Brown, Tatum and the remainder of the 2023-24 Boston Celtics.
2. A TRIUMPHANT MVP & A TEAM EFFORT
Jaylen Brown heard Adam Silver announce his identify and felt TD Backyard roar as a sea of smiling teammates engulfed him.
Brown was handed the trophy named after Celtics nice Invoice Russell and hoisted it to the sky – simply as he had elevated Boston all season – marking the top of an eight-year journey.
After enduring 4 eliminations within the Convention Finals and falling two wins shy of a 2022 title, JB was the Finals MVP, and the Celtics have been NBA champions.
- 🗣️ Brown: ”The journey is superior … to be right here on this second now – by way of all of the years, by way of all of the doubt, by way of all of the ups-and-downs, by way of all of the adversity … it simply makes the story that a lot sweeter.”
- Celtic Lore: Brown is simply the sixth Celtic to win Finals MVP since 1969
- {Hardware}: Brown is the primary participant to win Finals MVP with out making an All-NBA Crew since Andre Iguodala in 2015
- Profession Playoffs: JB finishes the 2024 postseason with a mean of 23.9 factors per recreation on 51.6% taking pictures and a +6.2 web score – all Playoff profession highs
Brown – who additionally gained the Japanese Convention Finals MVP – averaged 20.8 factors, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists within the Finals, and shined when it mattered most for Boston.
- Recreation 1: Scored a team-high 22 factors to guide the Cs to an 18-point win
- Recreation 2: Teamed up with Derrick White for a key chasedown block within the last minute after which offered the dagger with a lead-extending layup
- Recreation 3: Halted a close to 21-point Mavs’ comeback by nailing a midrange jumper with 47 seconds left to place Boston again up 4 and provides them a 3-0 sequence lead
- Recreation 5: Went for 21 factors, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals to assist clinch a Celtics title
“It was a group effort,” mentioned Brown on profitable Finals MVP. “I share this with my brothers.”
Like Brown, a number of different Celtics made historical past on Monday.
- Al Horford: Coming into Monday, Horford — a 17-year vet — had performed in 186 profession Playoff video games, essentially the most earlier than profitable a title in NBA historical past. Horford can also be the primary Dominican-born participant to win an NBA title
- Kristaps Porzingis: Porzingis — who helped spark a Recreation 1 Celtics win with 18 factors within the first half — is the primary Latvian to win an NBA title
- Jrue Vacation: Vacation — a 2021 champion with the Bucks — is the primary participant to win a title in his first season with two separate franchises (min. 30 min/g)
- Derrick White: White dominated on the defensive finish, main the Celtics in blocks and tied for second in steals (with Al Horford) within the Finals
- Payton Pritchard: Pritchard’s 51-foot buzzer-beater to finish the primary half final night time marked the longest Finals shot within the play-by-play period (since 1998)
- Joe Mazzulla: At 35 years and 353 days outdated, Mazzulla is the youngest head coach to win a championship since Invoice Russell in 1969 (35 years, 82 days)
- 🗣️ Brown: “None of it feels actual proper now. It seems like we’re in some Disney film or one thing.”
3. THE 2024 CELTICS’ PLACE IN HISTORY
The Celtics’ unprecedented 18th title made for a becoming finish to a season that’s seen them rewrite the file books time and again — and safe their place amongst among the most dominant groups ever. | 18 Stats for the 18th Championship
- Uncommon Air: The Celtics’ 80-21 file (common season + postseason) marks the second-best single season file in franchise historical past
- Playoff Prowess: With a 16-3 (.842) postseason file, the Celtics have the second-best profitable proportion for the reason that present seven-game, four-round Playoff format was launched in 2003, trailing solely the 2017 Warriors (16-1 | .941)
- Unusual Cushion: The Celtics (64-18) completed the common season 14 video games forward of the No. 2 seeded Knicks (50-32), the widest margin between a No. 1 and No. 2 seed since 1975-76
- Boston’s Greatest Starting: The Celtics’ 18-0 begin at residence to open the season was one of the best begin in franchise historical past (1957-58: 17-0 begin at residence)
- Signature Celtics Streak: The Celtics’ 10 straight wins from Recreation 3 of the Japanese Convention semifinals to Recreation 3 of the Finals is the longest Playoff win streak in franchise historical past
However the 2023-24 Celtics didn’t simply turn into one of many winningest squads in franchise and NBA historical past, in addition they discovered new ranges of statistical greatness.
- Unmatched Offense: The Celtics posted an offensive score of 122.2 within the common season, one of the best offensive score within the play-by-play period (since 1997-98)
- Triple Crown: The Celtics made a complete of 1,626 threes within the common season and postseason mixed, essentially the most in a single season in NBA historical past
- BTB Boston 3 Get together: The Celtics are the primary group in NBA historical past to make 1,300+ 3s in back-to-back common seasons
- Unparalleled All-Round: For the second consecutive common season, the Celtics ranked within the high two in each offensive and defensive score, changing into the primary group within the play-by-play period (since 1997-98) to take action in back-to-back seasons
And their wins weren’t shut. Together with the common season and postseason, Boston posted a +10.7 per-game level differential, the biggest margin of any Celtics group ever.
Solely 4 squads in NBA historical past posted a greater common level differential, led by the likes of Kareem & Oscar Robertson, Steph & KD, Jordan & Pippen and Wilt & West:
- 1970-71 Bucks: 12.6 | Gained title
- 2016-17 Warriors: 12.0 | Gained title
- 1995-96 Bulls: 12.0 | Gained title
- 1971-72 Lakers: 10.9 | Gained title
Now, one other group, led by one other duo, solidifies probably the most dominant runs ever with a hoop.
4. INSIDE THE CELTICS’ CELEBRATION
From the confetti falling to the court docket on the last buzzer, to the champagne spraying contained in the locker room, to the followers dancing within the streets, the celebration of profitable banner No. 18 and the primary Celtics championship in precisely 16 years is in full swing.
- “That is simply how I pictured it. Right here on the Backyard. With our followers. Everyone collectively. That is simply how I noticed it.” – Al Horford on profitable his first NBA title with the Celtics
- “I’d lose all my enamel for a championship.” – Derrick White after chipping one tooth and having two entrance enamel knocked unfastened on a dive for a unfastened ball
- “It’s a surreal feeling, we did it … WE DID IT!!! – Watch the accomplishment of profitable the Finals sink in for Jayson Tatum seconds after the sport ended
From pregame arrivals to the postgame celebration, our all-access cameras have been rolling to take you alongside for the experience. Plus, Celtics superfan Jamad chronicled her perspective on the championship-clinching night time.
With the gravity of their accomplishment nonetheless setting in, hear what the Celtics needed to say about Recreation 5 and their particular season.
- 🗣 Brown: “It nonetheless sort of feels unreal. It seems like there’s one other recreation or one thing tomorrow. However I can’t inform you sufficient about our group and our teaching workers. They have been nice all season lengthy. They ready us for these moments.”
- 🗣 Tatum: “To raise your self in an area that each one your favourite gamers are in, everyone that they take into account greats or legends have gained a championship … Now I can stroll in these rooms and be part of that.”
- 🗣 Porzingis: “As soon as I acquired harm, it was a heartbreaking second for me. I didn’t need to settle for the reality. It was like, no method it occurred, proper. However, yeah, tonight was the night time. I used to be like, hear, I’m going to provide it all the things I’ve.”
- 🗣 Vacation: “I’m blessed to be right here, and I’m so blissful to be right here, and I’m so blissful Brad gave me that decision to come back by way of and JT texting me, hitting me up, speaking about ‘Come on, Champ.’ It’s been a hell of a journey.”
5. A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE FRAMES FROM GAME 5