For the 18th time in franchise history, the Boston Celtics are NBA champions.
The Celtics closed the first quarter of Monday’s NBA Finals Game 5 on a 9-0 run and never looked back en route to a dominant 106-88 win over the Dallas Mavericks. The win secured a 4-1 win in the NBA Finals and the franchise’s first title since 2008.
The Celtics set the tone from the opening tip as they took the floor for the first time in these Finals wearing their classic green uniforms. They proceeded to put on a performance worthy of those colors. It was also worthy of a team that rolled to an NBA-best 64 wins in the regular season and produced advanced metrics that rank among the best in league history.
They did it on Monday with defense. They did it with 3s. They did it with stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way. It was an optimal conclusion to a seminal Celtics season.
Boston fired the first shot Monday, opening a 9-2 lead with its first three buckets scored by Jrue Holiday. Dallas punched back and closed the gap to 19-18 in the final two minutes of the quarter. But the 9-0 run to close the quarter pushed the Boston lead to 28-18.
The second quarter saw more of the same and ended with a buzzer-beating Payton Pritchard heave from beyond halfcourt to extend the Boston lead to 21 points.
Dallas never recovered.
There was no Celtics letdown after halftime. Boston extended its lead to as much as 26 points in the third quarter and never let Dallas again sniff striking distance. The fourth quarter was a coronation.
Tatum overcome with emotion, Brown wins MVP
After watching Brown, Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis take headlining roles throughout the Finals, Tatum took the reins Monday night as a scorer and playmaker. He led the game with 31 points and 11 assists alongside eight rebounds and two steals. He turned the ball over just twice.
When it was done, he buried his face in his hands as confetti fell from the rafters, overwhelmed with emotion. He then celebrated with his son, Jayson Jr.
Brown added 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. For the series, he averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and five assists, an effort that earned him Finals MVP honors. He can add the trophy to his collection alongside his Eastern Conference finals MVP hardware and forever silence the critics of his supermax contract and his left hand.
Derrick White once again came up big on both sides of the floor with 14 points, eight rebounds, two steals and one block. He paced the Celtics from long distance on a 4-of-8 effort.
Holiday — now the missing piece that completed a championship run for two different franchises — added 15 points, a team-high 11 rebounds and four assists.
As a team, the Celtics dominated the glass with a 51-35 rebounding edge. They forced 13 Mavericks turnovers while giving the ball away just seven times. Concluding a running theme throughout the series, Boston secured a significant edge at the free throw line with a 17-of-20 (85%) effort. Dallas struggled again while shooting 7-of-13 (53.8%).
The Celtics slowed down from 3 after halftime in a 13-of-39 (33.3%) overall effort. But they built their 21-point halftime edge while shooting 10-of-21 (47.6%) from beyond the arc.
Mavericks stars struggle again
A Mavericks team that staved off a sweep with a blowout in Game 4 appeared to leave everything on the floor in Dallas. The Mavericks were outmatched and outplayed from the opening tip Monday night and provided little challenge to an overwhelming Celtics unit.
Luka Dončić led Dallas with 28 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals. He struggled from 3 (2 of 9) and continued to provide little resistance on defense. He turned the ball over seven times.
Former Celtic Kyrie Irving — who appeared overwhelmed in Games 1 and 2 in Boston — struggled again Monday night on a 5-of-16 effort from the floor as he was repeatedly jeered by the home crowd. He finished with 15 points and nine assists.
What this title means for Celtics
For the Celtics, the championship alters legacies on multiple levels.
In the grand scheme, the Celtics reclaimed sole possession atop the list of all-time NBA champions, no longer tied with bitter rival the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had previously won eight titles against Boston’s one since 1986, including three unanswered since 2008 to tie the Celtics with 17 titles. Boston stands alone once again with its 18th championship.
Tatum and Brown are now certified. The All-Star teammates were repeatedly questioned and criticized for coming up short on the biggest of stages in their previous six seasons as the shared faces of the franchise. They were flummoxed in two Eastern Conference finals by the Miami Heat and watched Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors celebrate a championship at TD Garden in 2022. Those questions linger no more.
Jayson Tatum starred on Monday’s championship-clinching victory over Dallas. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Tatum and Brown now join a hallowed list featuring Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Dennis Johnson, JoJo White, Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Bob Cousy and Bill Russell in leading a franchise synonymous with greatness to championship glory.
President of basketball operations Brad Stevens took his unique basketball mind from the Celtics sideline to the front office in 2021. Never satisfied with coming up short, he continually tinkered with the roster and ultimately made championship-building moves, including acquiring Al Horford, Holiday, White and Porziņģis — decisions that coincided with difficult calls like parting with franchise favorite Marcus Smart and All-Star Kemba Walker.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla — promoted in 2022 amid the scandalous exit of Ime Udoka — drew fire throughout his first season leading the team that ended short of the NBA Finals. Now, he’s a champion in his second season as an NBA head coach.
For these Celtics, this championship isn’t viewed as an end, but a beginning. Tatum (26 years old) and Brown (27) are just reaching their primes and have their sights set on further cementing their names into Celtics franchise glory. But what a beginning this championship season was.
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Tue, June 18, 2024 at 5:03 AM GMT+2
The Celtics are the champions of the NBA
Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Boston defeats Dallas, 106-88, in Game 5 in Boston to win the franchise’s 18th NBA championship. Tatum had 31 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds, and Brown had 21 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:41 AM GMT+2
MVP?
The MVP chants have been for both Brown and Tatum at the foul line tonight. A split vote, it seems.
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:40 AM GMT+2
this entire celtics rotation is under contract for next season btw. gl.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) June 18, 2024
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:39 AM GMT+2
The Mavs have missed 13 of their last 14 shots. Just absolutely out of gas, out of spark, out of options and, barring something cosmic, in about nine minutes, out of time.
— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) June 18, 2024
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:36 AM GMT+2
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:35 AM GMT+2
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:34 AM GMT+2
Not sure I’ve ever seen a player who cannot perform well in a particular building, like this with Kyrie.
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:34 AM GMT+2
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:31 AM GMT+2
Dallas has had its chances. 7-of-29 from 3. Many of them wide open. Doncic and Irving are 1-of-12 from 3.
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:29 AM GMT+2
Celtics lead 86-67 after 3 quarters
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have combined for 37 points for Boston, Kyrie Irving has 9 points on 3-of-12 shooting for Dallas as the Celtics lead 86-67.
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:25 AM GMT+2
The Celtics only have 9 second-chance points, off 12 offensive rebounds. But the way this home crowd reacts to each board has sucked some life out of Dallas little by little.
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:23 AM GMT+2
Luka Doncic now 1 for his 21 3-point attempts in the NBA Finals
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:21 AM GMT+2
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:16 AM GMT+2
Just a brutal three games in Boston for Kyrie. He’s getting clean looks. Just can’t make them. 3-12 now from the floor. Irving and Doncic 1-11 from three-point range. 82-64, Boston.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) June 18, 2024
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:12 AM GMT+2
Josh Green wants to extend this series! Dude is 4-of-4 from deep.
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:11 AM GMT+2
Luka settling
Luka is just settling for jumpers. Whether it’s injury, fatigue or whatever, he has not even tried to get to the rim. Had Al Horford all alone at the top of the key and didn’t even consider trying anything other than his step-back, and he’s now 0-of-5 from three.
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:03 AM GMT+2
Al Horford still strong
Al Horford is 17 years older than Dereck Lively II and just used every ounce of his old man strength to bully him under the basket and draw a foul. Strong start to the third quarter for Horford.
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 4:02 AM GMT+2
Celtics hitting their 3s
That Al Horford 3 gets the Celtics up to 12-of-23 from distance. Seven members of Boston’s eight-man rotation have connected from deep. (Porzingis is the exception.) They are outscoring Dallas by 18 points from the arc.
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 3:58 AM GMT+2
Tue, June 18, 2024 at 3:45 AM GMT+2
Tatum getting it done
Jayson Tatum’s first half: 16 points, four rebounds, nine assists, zero turnovers. But what’s been most impressive is the fact he’s seeming to exorcise his demons of not getting to the rim and finishing enough. All of his makes besides that step-back 3 at the end of the second quarter have come in the paint and at the rim.
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