Boston Celtics Clinch Record 18th Title as Tatum Shines in Historic Victory
Sportsgrid Staff
Host · Writer
The Boston Celtics once again reign supreme as NBA champions.
Jayson Tatum delivered a stellar performance with 31 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds, leading the Celtics to a 106-88 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night. This win secured Boston’s 18th championship, breaking their tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most titles in NBA history.
This latest triumph comes on the 16th anniversary of the Celtics’ last championship win in 2008, adding to the city’s impressive tally of 13 championships this century across its major professional sports teams.
“It means the world," Tatum expressed on stage after receiving the trophy from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “It’s been a long time. And damn, I’m grateful." Jaylen Brown, who chipped in with 21 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, was named the NBA Finals MVP.
“I share this with my brothers and my partner in crime, Jayson Tatum," Brown said, reflecting on their journey. Brown and Tatum have now played 107 career playoff games together, the most for any duo before capturing a title. Their leadership powered the Celtics through a dominant postseason run, finishing 16-3 and boasting an overall 80-21 record. This .792 winning percentage is second only to the Celtics’ 1985-86 championship team.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla, in just his second season and at the age of 35, became the youngest coach since Bill Russell in 1969 to guide a team to a championship. “You have very few chances in life to be great," Mazzulla remarked.
For Dallas, Luka Doncic stood out with 28 points and 12 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to extend the series. Despite Doncic’s efforts and battling injuries, the Mavericks couldn’t replicate their Game 4 success. Kyrie Irving struggled, finishing with just 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting. Irving, who left the Celtics in 2019, has now lost 13 of his last 14 matchups against his former team.
Looking ahead, Irving remains optimistic about Dallas’s future. “I see an opportunity for us to really build our future in a positive manner, where this is almost like a regular thing for us and we’re competing for championships," he said.
With this loss, NBA teams are now 0-157 in postseason series after falling into a 3-0 deficit.
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