Cigar time
Celtics light it up for record 18th NBA title
By Adam Himmelsbach Globe Staff
With pieces of green and white confetti dancing in the air above him, with a thirsty and joyous Garden crowd erupting all around him, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla wrapped his hand around the microphone that had been extended in his direction and offered one final, loud message for the arena and everyone watching around the world.Barry Chin/globe StaffWith his son Deuce beside him and his teammates behind him, Jayson Tatum kissed the Larry O’brien Trophy after the Celtics beat the Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at TD Garden.
“You get very few chances in life to be great . . . when you have a chance to be great, you’ve just got to take the bull by the horns.”
Throughout this magical season, Mazzulla avoided looking too far ahead by always keeping his team fully focused on the next day. but now, there are no more next days, because the Celtics are nba champions for a record 18th time.
When the final buzzer sounded in Game 5 of the finals at td Garden Monday night, boston 106, Dallas, 88 glowed on the scoreboard to make it permanent and real, and the confetti poured down like a midwinter blizzard.
But this outcome was decided much earlier, with another dominant performance to cap this season that has been filled with so many of them.DANIELLE Parhizkaran/globe StaffKristaps Porzingis held the trophy alongside Jayson Tatum (right).
“Tt wasn’t about expectation,” Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck said as he stood on the stage that had been wheeled onto the court. “it was about getting it done. banner 18.”
The celebration started soon after that, and it was expected to last long into the night. Jaylen brown clutched his finals MVP trophy and quickly acknowledged his talented teammate who just as easily could have had it in his arms.
“I share this with my brothers,” brown said, “and my partner in crime, Jayson tatum.”
Tatum had his turn moments later. he said winning his first title means the world to him, and after the crowd roared, he repeated it for emphasis.
“We knew we’d need each other,” tatum said. “We all need each other.”
Later, he was the one to carry the larry o’brien trophy through the tunnel and into the locker room.
Derrick White stepped forward on stage with a severely chipped front tooth and sheepishly smiled, revealing his Game 5 battle scar. but he made it clear that he did not care. he said he would lose all of his teeth if it meant winning a championship.
Al Horford, the 38-year-old who has finally won his elusive title, received perhaps the loudest roar of all when he was introduced to the crowd. he thought back to his free agent meeting with Grousbeck in 2016 that led to his first stint in boston. he remembered seeing Grousbeck’s large, shiny 2008 title ring, and being enchanted by it. he remembered the words of former president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, whose fingerprints remain all over this team even though he has been gone for three years.
“[Ainge said] you can win championships in many places, but there’s nothing like winning in boston and nothing like winning as a Celtic,” horford said.
Nearly 11 years ago, Ainge took a wrecking ball to the roster and began what figured to be a lengthy rebuild when the Celtics traded future hall of famers Paul Pierce and kevin Garnett to the Nets for a package that included an overwhelming haul of future draft picks.
The ascension that followed was gradual but nearly linear. the arrival of 5-foot-9-inch Isaiah Thomas in 2015 was an early catalyst, with his irrepressible hunger and hard-hat mentality setting a new standard.
Then those Nets draft picks and some lottery luck changed everything, with Brown and Tatum being selected at No. 3 overall in 2016 and 2017. they had to start on a waiting list before becoming franchise cornerstones, with Horford, Gordon Hayward, and Kyrie Irving given the first shot at bringing the franchise another championship. but it quickly became clear that it would at least be a path for these two young stars.
Their success was constant and impressive and rare, but it was also clouded by heartbreak. the Celtics lost in the conference finals four times, and their one win in that round two years ago was followed by coughing up a 2-1 lead in the finals and losing to the Warriors, one of the game’s greatest dynasties.
But now it is clear those were all just building blocks that were preparing the Celtics for this stage, this moment.
“I dreamed about what this would be like,” tatum said, “but this is 10 times [better].”
The 18th championship breaks a tie with the lakers for the league record. but the Celtics did not just win a title. they completed one of the most dominant seasons in the history of the NBA. their 64-win regular season was followed by a stunning 16-3 playoff record that included a 10-game winning streak. it turned out that friday’s Game 4 loss in Dallas muted the surge only temporarily, and allowed them to return home to have an even more raucous celebration.
“Man, it’s been long, a lot of hard work,” horford said, “but i’m so proud to be part of this team.”
Tatum had 31 points,11 assists, and 8 rebounds to lead the Celtics. brown added 21 points and eight rebounds.
Luka Dončić led the Mavericks with 28 points and kyrie irving’s struggles against his former team in this building continued with a 5-for16 shooting effort and 15 points.
Dallas pulled within 19-18 on a Dante Exum 3-pointer with 1:55 left in the first, but then the Celtics closed the quarter authoritatively. After brown threw down a dunk, Sam hauser hit a 3-pointer before coming up with a steal that led to another brown dunk. lastly, tatum came up with a steal and coasted in for a layup, capping a 9-0 burst to end the quarter.
The second period ended in similar fashion. four different Celtics drilled 3-pointers over the final 1:51, with the final one somehow being at once the most improbable but also expected. Payton Pritchard, who had yet to appear in the game, checked in with Doncic at the foul line with four seconds left. he has become the equivalent of the Celtics’ fearless pinch-runner in these situations, but one with a jump shot.
Doncic missed the free throw and horford found Pritchard, who rushed to midcourt and hit a 49-footer at the buzzer, giving the Celtics a 67-46 lead and delivering a blow that the Mavericks were never really able to recover from.
“There’s nothing better than representing the Celtics,” Mazzulla said, “and being part of history.”
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