WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

WE HAVE WON BANNER 18 I REPEAT WE HAVE WON BANNER 18

Congratulations to the Boston Celtics for winning BANNER 18

I want to say BIG congratulations to the Celtics for winning BANNER 18 surpassing the Lakers 17 banners WE DID IT CELTICS NATION

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS I REPEAT WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE NBA WE HAVE WON BANNER 18 SURPASSING THE LAKERS CONGRATULATIONS 🥳🥳 🥳🥳🥳🥳

How you feeling tonight Boston

Are you a bot or a dubar?

This is from The Athletic's Zach Lowe and Shams Charania:


Celtics have most NBA titles ever ... again

Vindication. That’s what the Boston Celtics have earned after one of the more dominant NBA regular seasons and title runs in league history. Years of doubt, rumors of breaking up Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and postseason failures turned into lessons and stepping stones. After beating the Dallas Mavericks in last night's Game 5, the Celtics will hang their NBA-record 18th banner.


Here are a few numbers to illustrate the Celtics’ prowess:

They went 80-21 throughout their title run, becoming the 12th team to notch 80 wins and win a ring (including the playoffs).

Boston had the fifth-greatest margin of victory in regular-season history (plus-930). Its dominant postseason raised that ranking to fourth all time when combining the playoffs (plus-1,083).

The Celtics' 16-3 run in the playoffs marks the ninth-best winning percentage (84.2) for a title run in NBA history.

When factoring in the regular season, Boston’s campaign was more dominant than Denver’s title march last year. It’s not quite on the level of the 2017-18 Warriors or the 72-win Chicago Bulls in 1996, but this run from October through June was as strong as any other since the 1976 ABA-NBA merger. And while the 2024 Celtics won’t get the same fame and glory as the 1986 team or the 2008 champions, their start-to-finish dominance makes such a comparison fairer than people will assume.


The question is … can the Celtics do it again next year? Their entire eight-man rotation is under contract for next season. For what it’s worth, Boston opened as the +310 favorite to repeat, per BetMGM.


Bob


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Of the Boston Celtics 18 Championships only 7 of them had the Celtics win 60+ regular season games and have 3 or fewer playoff losses, and this team is one of those 7.  Bird's Celtics did it twice, so there's 3 out of 7.  

Over the past 10 seasons only one other team can claim that, the 2016-2017 Golden State Warriors who won 67 games and went 16-1 in the playoffs.

This Celtic team is historically elite.


Bob


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18 leftover thoughts on Celtics’ run to 18th NBA title


By ZACK COX
PUBLISHED:  June 19, 2024 at 7:00 a.m.


The playoffs are over. The confetti is cleared. The Celtics are NBA champions.

Before their duck boat parade rolls through the streets of Boston on Friday morning, here are 18 assorted thoughts on Banner 18:

1. Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens both deserve credit for building this Celtics juggernaut, even if the former left before the latest payoff.

Ainge made the bold move to reset the franchise in 2013 by trading away Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, then hit home runs at the top of the draft with Jaylen Brown (third overall, 2016) and Jayson Tatum (third, ’17). Stevens built around that superstar foundation with a string of savvy trades, first reacquiring Al Horford, whom Ainge initially signed in 2016, and then by adding Derrick White in 2022 and Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis last offseason. He also hammered out extensions for Brown, Holiday and Porzingis.

Stevens was deservedly recognized as the NBA’s Executive of the Year, and those six players formed the core of the NBA’s deepest and most talented roster, able to withstand injuries and off nights in a way prior Celtics teams could not.

And with their entire rotation set to return next season, this group’s championship window is wide open.


2. The Celtics had their preferred starting five (White, Holiday, Brown, Tatum and Porzingis) for just four of their 19 playoff games, yet still went 16-3. For all of the talk about their weak Eastern Conference competition, the C’s were not at full strength for most of the postseason and were dominant nonetheless.


3. What an ascent this was for Joe Mazzulla.

Five years ago, he was coaching at Division II Fairmont State. Two years ago, he was an anonymous back-bench assistant for Boston. Last year, he looked understandably overmatched after being tabbed to replace Ime Udoka on the eve of training camp.

But Year 2 of the Mazzulla era was nearly flawless. The Celtics played beautifully efficient basketball in a season largely devoid of drama, both internally and on the court.

“Man, I love Joe Mazzulla so much,” said White, who called the eccentric coach both a “genius” and a “sicko” in the same postgame interview last week. “… I’d do anything for him.”


4. It was fun to see the Celtics fanbase fall in love with Porzingis, who received rousing ovations throughout the Finals. Injuries severely limited his availability in the postseason, but he was a floor-tilting player off the bench in Games 1 and 2 against Dallas and gutted through his rare ankle injury to play 16 gritty minutes in Game 5.

Even though the Mavs were able to exploit Porzingis’ lack of mobility at times in Monday’s finale, he still finished the Finals as a plus-33, 13 points better than any other player.


5. Porzingis is the Celtics’ third-best player, and the talent dropoff from him to the very useful Horford is substantial. But between the regular season and playoffs, Boston went a remarkable 31-6 in games Porzingis missed.


6. The big question now for the 7-foot-3 center is when the Celtics will see him back on the floor. Porzingis reportedly needs surgery and is expected to miss several months, which could put his status for the start of the 2024-25 season in doubt. He turns 29 in August and is signed through 2026.


7. Tatum became just the sixth player since 1980 to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists during a championship run. The others: Nikola Jokic, LeBron James (three times), Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Larry Bird (twice). Decent company.

Tatum also led the Celtics in all three categories during the NBA Finals. Either he or Brown would have been a deserving Finals MVP, but seven of the 11 voters chose Brown. Both players praised each other postgame and said they didn’t care who took home that honor.

“MVP!!!” Tatum commented on an Instagram post of Brown holding both trophies. “(W)e both the mvp,” Brown replied.


8. Since Brown’s instantly iconic “I don’t got time to give a (expletive)” line about being left off of the All-NBA team, he’s won two individual awards: Eastern Conference finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP.


9. We’re now on contract watch for Tatum, who is eligible to sign a five-year, $315 million supermax extension this offseason. That inevitable deal will be the richest in NBA history, surpassing the one Brown signed last July.


10. Another new contract candidate: White. The versatile guard is entering the final year of his current deal and is set to earn $18.8 million in 2024-25.

Stevens has said multiple times that White, a first-team All-Defense selection in each of the last two seasons, is part of Boston’s long-term plans.

“Derrick’s had an amazing year,” Stevens said in April. “Derrick’s a huge, huge part of our team, and we want him around for as long as we can keep him around.”


11. Perhaps no sequence from these playoffs better exemplified the Celtics’ toughness than White diving so aggressively for a loose ball Monday night and having his face slammed into the court so hard that he mangled his front teeth - then drilling a three from the corner minutes later.

“This tooth is loose. The other two teeth are wiggling,” White said postgame, taking stock of his chiclets. “They were trying stuff in the locker room. I was like, I don't care. Just play.”


12. Payton Pritchard had what might be the most hilariously efficient stat line ever in an NBA Finals clincher. He played just four meaningful seconds (plus another 80 or so in garbage time) and attempted one shot, but that shot was a 49-footer from beyond halfcourt that beat the halftime buzzer and put the Celtics up 21.

It was one of two soul-snatching buzzer-beaters Pritchard hit in the Finals, with the other coming at the end of the third quarter in Game 2. Outside of those makes, he was 1-for-14 from three in the series.

“That dude, he’s a (expletive) legend, man,” Brown said.


13. Celtics players up and down the roster saluted Horford after the 38-year-old finally secured his first NBA championship in Year 17. Horford clearly commands immense respect from his teammates and coaches.
Brown, whose Celtics tenure began just weeks before Horford’s, put it best when he called the veteran big man “a real-life legend and hero.”

Horford plans to return to Boston next season, according to team owner Wyc Grousbeck.


14. Some international NBA history: Horford, Porzingis and reserve center Neemias Queta became the league’s first champions from the Dominican Republic, Latvia and Portugal, respectively.


15. After a dreadful East finals, Sam Hauser recovered wonderfully against Dallas. The reserve sharpshooter played surprisingly good defense against Luka Doncic early in the series and then hit two big threes in Game 5 as part of a 19-4 Celtics run that broke the game open in the late first and early second quarters. He also added a steal during that key stretch. In the Finals he hit 11 of 23 three pointers.

Hauser, who ranked 11th in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage this season, has a team option in his contract for 2024-25.


16. Only Kyrie Irving truly knows how much the hostile TD Garden crowd affected him, but his home/road splits in this series were stark.

Two games in Dallas: 50.0% shooting, 41.7% from three, 28.0 points per game. Three games in Boston: 34.0% shooting, 17.6% shooting, 14.3 points per game -- and three Mavericks losses.


17. Celtics fans can look forward to a few different behind-the-scenes docuseries spotlighting this title run. In addition to the excellent team-released “All In” series, Netflix cameras also reportedly followed Tatum throughout this season for a doc modeled after the streamer’s compelling “Quarterback” show.


18. Who will be MVP of the Celtics’ parade, aka the Rob Gronkowski Award? Our money is on Porzingis.


Bob


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Jay King
@ByJayKing
Danny Ainge once told Al Horford winning a championship in Boston is different. Here’s the line waiting to meet Horford days after he won his first ring with the Celtics.


https://x.com/i/status/1803829028274450898


Bob


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Joe Mazulla got home from Miami and immediately took the trophy and walked thru the North End to his favorite restaurant. He is eating this right up!!

I haven't been on this site for about 15 years or so, but I had to come by to pay tribute to Dick, ie. Slippery Sam... I think he will be smiling as he looks down on the DuckBoat Parade tomorrow in Beantown. Congrats to our Celtics!

Chris Forsberg interviews The Cooz after the Celtics won #18.





Bob


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Sam would have loved these guys, even with those 3 point shot nights that were disasters. He just loved the Celtics. He is never far from many of our minds as we comment on here.

Bob, my money is on KP too. He is so damn happy to be here, to be a Celtic and to have won this first year. Fingers crossed he is able to recover and be on board for next year. There are so many people who do not know basketball at all who commented after they won that they would have won a title without KP. I do not think so, Just think about those runs of 15 straight wins or other streaks, he was a vital part. We are a different team with him on the floor healthy. My two cents

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5579906/2024/06/21/al-horford-boston-celtics-parade/?source=freedailyemail&campaign=601983&userId=13921316



Boston loves Al Horford and he wants you to know the feeling is mutual




BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 17: Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the fourth quarter of Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)



By Jay King

Jun 21, 2024



BOSTON — Half an hour before Al Horford’s scheduled appearance on Boylston Street early Thursday afternoon, hundreds of fans stood in line waiting for him. The 93-degree heat wouldn’t stop them from sharing their appreciation for the newly crowned champion, who, at age 38, captured his first NBA title Monday night.

One day before the Boston Celtics parade through the city, it was Horford’s preview of the chaos to come. The fans chanted his name when he arrived minutes after 1 p.m. When he left, shortly after briefly addressing the crowd outside a chicken restaurant, he needed to walk through a sea of adoring Celtics fans assembled in the street. Some of them even surrounded the car he was traveling in and walked alongside the vehicle as it made its way toward Exeter Street.

Horford could feel the love. He said it goes both ways.

“We play basketball for the Celtics and we understand we represent much more: Boston, we’re representing the New England area,” Horford said. “And I’m just very proud to be able to bring a championship to Boston. When I came here eight years ago, this was kind of what I envisioned. And it’s been hard. It’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of tough losses over the years. But just to get to this point, I’m very grateful.”

Horford experienced more than tough losses with the Celtics. After a dysfunctional season for the team in 2018-19, he left the franchise as a free agent to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. He didn’t fit well there and eventually landed in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder were deep in a rebuilding project. They were so focused on the future that, even in a productive season for Horford, they agreed to sideline him after the All-Star break. By the time Boston reacquired the big man in a 2021 trade, Horford’s worth was in question.

A second stint with the Celtics represented a lifeline for him. Privately, he vowed to himself that he would show he could still play.

Horford has done much more than that. With the Celtics’ 106-88 Game 5 win Monday, he topped Gary Payton’s previous record for the most playoff games before a first title by winning his first ring in his 186th playoff game. Afterward, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown said nobody deserved the championship more than Horford. Jrue Holiday said winning a ring for Horford was “one of the ultimate goals of this season.”

Horford said he hasn’t thought back much on the long journey to reach his first championship because he’s still trying to cherish the moment.

“I don’t know if I’ve been able to reflect on it that much,” Horford said. “I feel like we’re still caught up in the celebration, the confetti going down, everything that just transpired within the last couple of days. I haven’t really had a chance to really look at it from that point of view. I feel like we’re just really caught up in just looking at the pictures, looking at videos, just trying to take it all in with my family, just kind of sharing stories of the night and things like that. That’s kind of what we’ve been doing.”

One of the videos Horford watched showed his 9-year-old son, Ean, celebrating with the Boston players as the final buzzer of Game 5 approached. Ean, who could often be seen in the team’s locker room after games throughout the season, was old enough to appreciate his father’s playoff run.


“He’s so involved with the team,” Horford said. “He really loves being a Celtic. He just really relishes it. And to see him throughout the season being so invested in it, so committed with it — my girls too, my (four) daughters are super into it, but he’s playing now so he’s starting to understand it a little more.

“And for me, the most gratifying part of it is just seeing him happy but also seeing my teammates embracing him. I saw in the video Derrick White went over, gave him a hug and was all emotional with him. They really care for him and that to me is the special part: that we not only get to celebrate this with the guys and we get to celebrate with our families. And our families are right there, they’re a part of it. We sacrifice so much to be in these positions and it was just nice to see him enjoy this moment.”

Some of the Celtics players and coaches flew to Miami to celebrate, but Horford said he stayed home to spend time with his family and some of his closest friends. As of Thursday afternoon, he said he had only left his house twice since returning there from Game 5.

“I’ve had a bunch of my family over, my mom, dad, some of my really good close friends, sisters, brother, and we just hung out for the past couple of days,” Horford said. “It’s been really nice having the kids running around, just being home, trying to take everything in. So it feels good to be here and just feel the love from everybody.”

The city showed Horford love Thursday. He also expects a crazy environment Friday at the parade. From 2008, when he helped the Hawks take Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce’s Celtics to seven games in the first round, Horford said he has been captivated by the atmosphere around Boston sports.

“I’ve been all over the country and I just haven’t seen the love, the care and the commitment from people towards not only their sports but their community,” Horford said. “I feel like here in Boston there’s a real tight community, like, that’s a real thing. And whether I’m out putting gas in my car or whether I’m at the grocery store or whatever, people always say good things, always embracing me and my family.

“And it’s everywhere in Mass. We talk about in Boston, but we take my kids apple picking, we go to the beach, we go to different places and people are the same. They keep the same energy. People really love it here. And for me, that’s the thing that captivated me, just the sense of community here and the togetherness that we have here in Boston. And that’s very special.”


Bob


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A little historical perspective on this Championship from The Globe:


If the journey felt like it took too long, Tatum is actually ahead of the championship schedule. Brown is right on time.

The average age for a first-time champion is 26.6 years old. Tatum turned 26 in March. He was 25 when the season started. He’s one of 72 players who were 25 years old at the start of their first championship season. Brown turned 27 last October, and he joined a group of 52 players who won their first title at that age.

The Celtics built their franchise around Brown and Tatum and the duo delivered at exactly the moment when championship windows typically open for players.

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were in their age 27 and age 25 seasons, respectively, when they won their first title in 1991. Stephen Curry won his first title in his age 26 season. Nikola Jokic, Shaquille O’Neal, and LeBron James all won their first at 27.


Bob


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