The Boston Celtics secured a historic 18th NBA championship by overpowering the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 on Monday night at a raucous TD Garden. Leading the charge, Jayson Tatum delivered a stellar 31-point performance, helping Boston to seal a 4-1 series victory in the NBA Finals.
Fresh off a humiliating 38-point defeat in Game 4, Boston rebounded emphatically, leaving no room for a Dallas comeback. Tatum was the catalyst on both ends of the floor, guiding the Celtics past their arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, to stand alone with the most NBA titles.
The triumph came exactly 16 years after Boston’s last championship win against the Lakers in 2008. Reflecting on the win, a euphoric Tatum exclaimed, “Oh my God. It’s a surreal feeling. We did it – oh my God, we did it!”
Supporting Tatum, Jaylen Brown, who was named Finals MVP, contributed 21 points, while Jrue Holiday and Derrick White added 15 and 14 points, respectively. “It was a full team effort,” said Brown, who averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists over the series.
Dallas, led by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, saw their dream run end in disappointment. Doncic, who scored 28 points, remained proud of his team’s effort despite the loss. “We didn’t win the Finals, but we did have a hell of a season,” he said.
Irving, managing just 15 points, faced taunts from Boston fans, still irked by his departure in 2019. Yet, he found positives, emphasizing the potential of Dallas’s young core. “We got to the top of the mountain and we failed, so now we have to start at the bottom, and that should be inspiring,” Irving remarked.
Boston’s defense was relentless, disrupting Dallas’s rhythm early and maintaining control throughout. After leading 67-46 at halftime, the Celtics continued their dominance, never allowing the Mavericks to mount a serious comeback.
Payton Pritchard’s spectacular half-court buzzer-beater to end the first half epitomized Boston’s command. The Celtics sustained their intensity in the second half, ensuring the Mavericks had no chance to recover and cruising to a decisive victory to clinch the championship.
