The Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA Championship Monday after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in five games, securing an eighteenth championship in franchise history.
Boston passed the Los Angeles Lakers for the most championships of any NBA team.
Celtics All-Star forward Jaylen Brown was voted as Finals MVP, averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5 assists per game during the series, collecting seven out of eleven votes for the award.
The remaining four votes went to Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, who averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists.
Tatum, who was named first team All-NBA, became one of only five players in league history to lead a championship team in total points, rebounds and assists.
Celtics center Al Horford had played in 186 playoff games, which was the second most playoff games played before finally winning his first NBA title.
Horford also became the first Dominican to ever win an NBA championship.
Joining him as another first-ever from his nation is Celtics center Kristaps Porziņģis, who became the first NBA player from Latvia to win an NBA title.
Porziņģis, who suffered a calf strain during the first round of the playoffs, returned to play in Game 1 of the finals where he scored 20 points in 20 minutes of play.
Porziņģis was diagnosed with a torn medial retinaculum on his foot after an injury in the third quarter of Game 2, keeping him out for Game 4.
The injury is considered rare and will require surgery.
Despite being activated for game 4, Porziņģis would not see the floor until the closeout Game 5.
The 2023-24 Boston Celtics finished the regular season with a 64-18 record and a 16-3 playoff record.
The team set a new NBA record for offensive rating in the regular season with 123.2.
Boston also posted the fourth highest net rating in NBA history.
The Celtics championship parade went through downtown Boston Friday afternoon.
Michael Neenan is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].
