The Boston Celtics won their first NBA championship since 2008 after defeating the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, ending a convincing streak for a squad expected to dominate. NBA for years to come.

After exactly 16 years since the 2007-08 Celtics squad won the team’s 17th championship on the parquet stage, Jayson Taytum and his teammates wrote a similar ending on Causeway Street.

Boston Celtics won the 18th NBA championship in team history

The 2023-24 Boston Celtics are cut from a similar mold to the 2008 team. Both versions feature home-grown talent that has been further enhanced through a variety of smart moves in the transfer window. season because the Boston leadership is determined to bring this team back to the top.

But unlike the 2008 team, this season’s Celtics endured many heartbreaking setbacks and stumbles on American basketball’s highest stage before finally reaching the top.

But as the colored pieces of paper fell to the floor amid cheers and excitement, it was fitting that the Boston Celtics’ 18th NBA championship was sealed by a stellar performance from the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The two pillars of the “Cloverfield” further cemented their place as team legends in Game 5. Tatum led the way for Boston with 31 points, 8 rebounds and 11 assists, while Jaylen Brown added 21 points.

Jayson Taytum affirmed his role as leader with 31 points scored in Game 5

Jrue Holiday earned his second career ring with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Derrick White added 14 points for the team.

“Unicorn” Kristaps Porzingis returned to the field after missing the last two games due to an ankle injury, scoring 5 more points in 16 minutes. 38-year-old veteran center Al Horford finally won his first championship with 9 points scored.

Despite the one-sided nature of the game, the Celtics overcame many of the issues that plagued them at the American Airlines Center. Joe Mazzulla’s team shot 45.2 percent of its shots, often extending offensive plays with tenacious second-chance plays in the paint.

The Boston Celtics overwhelmed the Dallas Mavericks in the first half, with Sam Hauser’s 3-pointer sparking a 9-0 run to end the first quarter, giving Boston a 28-18 lead after 12 minutes.

Luka Doncic misses out on first NBA title of his career

While Tatum did most of the heavy lifting in the second half, it was Payton Pritchard’s half-court dunk in the final seconds of the first that once again opened up a 21-point lead for Boston.

Although Boston’s offense faltered at many points in the second half, Dallas still could not close this huge gap, with Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic combining to score 43 points.

As the final seconds ticked down, chants of “Let’s Go Celtics” and “We Want Boston” rang out throughout TD Garden, signaling a historic milestone was made for Jayson Taytum and his teammates.