After winning the 2024 NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics are NBA champions once again. The Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 106-88 to clinch their 18th title in franchise history and first since 2008. With this win, they move past the Los Angeles Lakers (17) as the all-time championship leader in NBA history.
THE CELTICS ARE NBA CHAMPIONS pic.twitter.com/gtSo2axmF0
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 18, 2024
The Boston Celtics Win the 2024 NBA Finals
Jaylen Brown Wins 2024 NBA Finals MVP
After winning the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals MVP after Boston’s four-game sweep against the Indiana Pacers, star Jaylen Brown took home the Finals MVP award as well. In the Finals, Brown averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. Despite the nod, Brown said it was a team effort. Additionally, he said he shares the award with his “partner in crime Jayson Tatum.”
“It was a full team effort and I share this with my brothers and my partner in crime Jayson Tatum,” Brown said. “He was with me the whole way, we share this s–t together.”
JB says he’s sharing his Finals MVP with Jayson Tatum 🙌 pic.twitter.com/2qY9MoFI7d
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 18, 2024
With Brown’s NBA Finals MVP win, he is the first player since Andre Iguodala to win the award despite not earning an All-NBA Team nod the same season.
Omg Jaylen Brown what a year love u little bro from one finals MVP to Another wow
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) June 18, 2024
In addition to Brown’s impressive NBA Finals performance, the Celtics were led by their star-studded lineup. Tatum, despite his poor efficiency, led the team in points, rebounds, and assists during the Finals. The new champion averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. Tatum became the first player since Larry Bird to lead a team in all these stats during a championship run. Additionally, Derrick White averaged 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. And Jrue Holiday, who previously won a title with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, averaged 14.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
Additionally, despite not having the most impressive stat sheet, veteran big man Al Horford was crucial in the team’s championship win. With the win, Horford snaps the NBA record for playing the most games before winning a championship. Additionally, only NBA legend Karl Malone appeared in more playoff games without winning a championship. Luckily for the 38-year-old, he put an end to that in Game 5.
The Last Word on the Boston Celtics
The Celtics ended the regular season with a 64-18 record. This was their best season since winning 66 games during their championship season in 2008. For nearly the entire season, the Celtics were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. They officially took the No. 1 seed from the Philadelphia 76ers on November 14 and never looked back. For most of the season, the Celtics showed their dominance. Their amazing play on both sides of the ball, as well as their emphasis on playing team basketball, made them the most complete team in the league. This is what led to the Boston Celtics winning the 2024 NBA Finals and becoming world champions again.
