The Boston Celtics have etched a new record in NBA history by securing their 18th championship, surpassing the Los Angeles Lakers. Leading the charge was Jayson Tatum with a stellar performance of 31 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds. On Monday night, the Celtics outpaced the Dallas Mavericks with a score of 106-88, clinching a dominant 4-1 series win. This victory, on the 16th anniversary of their 2008 championship, not only commemorates their past glory but also contributes to Boston’s impressive tally of 13 titles across the city’s major sports franchises this century.
Celtics Triumph in NBA Finals with Stellar Performances
Jaylen Brown contributed 21 points to the game, earning the NBA Finals MVP title. Jrue Holiday supported with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Kristaps Porzingis made a notable comeback from injury, adding five points in 17 minutes. The Celtics ended their postseason with a 16-3 record and an impressive .792 winning percentage, the second-highest in their history, surpassed only by their 1985-86 championship run. Young coach Joe Mazzulla, at 35, marked history by becoming the youngest coach since Bill Russell in 1969 to win an NBA championship. On the Mavericks’ side, Luka Doncic led with 28 points and 12 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to continue the series beyond Game 5.
Celtics Dominate Mavericks, Forge Championship Path
Kyrie Irving managed only 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting, extending his losing streak to 13 out of the last 14 matchups against the Celtics since his 2019 departure to the Brooklyn Nets.
In postseason history, NBA teams have an unbroken record of 0-157 after trailing 0-3 in a series.
The Celtics maintained the lead throughout the game, energized by the fervent home crowd, and at one point led by 26 points.
Despite a close 16-15 score early on, the Celtics ended the first quarter with a decisive 12-3 run, highlighted by Tatum and Brown scoring eight points between them.
In the second quarter, after the Mavericks cut a 15-point deficit to nine, Boston responded with a 19-7 rally, capped by a half-court buzzer-beater from Payton Pritchard—his second of the series—giving the Celtics a commanding 67-46 lead at halftime.
The Celtics dominated the last two minutes of the first and second quarters, outscoring the Mavericks 22-4 and never relinquishing their lead.
The legacy of the Celtics was also honored in the stands, with Jeannine Russell, widow of the legendary Bill Russell, and their daughter Karen witnessing the rise of the new generation. The Celtics’ acquisition of draft picks in the trade of former champions Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn in 2013 laid the groundwork for drafting Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, who both earned their inaugural championship rings.
Celtics’ Triumph: From Challenges to Champions
The All-Stars shined this season, driving a Celtics team that thrived on a robust strategy of extensive 3-point shooting and the league’s top-rated defense. Having reached the Eastern Conference finals together four times before, their fifth deep playoff journey became their moment of victory.
Despite initial offensive struggles in the series, Tatum and Brown found their rhythm in Game 5, amassing 31 points and 11 assists by halftime. This performance highlighted the strengths that established Boston as the most dominant team in this NBA postseason—excellent spacing, collaborative play, and disruptive defense.
Their resurgence crowned a whirlwind two-year period for the Celtics, marked by a loss in the 2022 finals to the Golden State Warriors and a disappointing exit in last season’s conference finals against Miami.
