The Celtics won their record-breaking 18th NBA championship and first since 2008 on Monday night, defeating the Mavericks in Game 5, 106-88. Boston now has one more title than the Lakers.
Jayson Tatum racked up 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in Game 5, while Jaylen Brown supplied 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Brown was named the Finals’ Most Valuable Player, Brian Robb of MassLive.com tweets. He received seven of 11 possible votes from media members, with Tatum getting the other four (Twitter link).
Dallas extended the series with a lopsided victory in Game 4 but had no answers for the deeper Celtics when the series shifted back to Boston. The Celtics opened up a 67-46 halftime lead and cruised to the finish line.
Boston, which entered the playoffs as the top seed, is well-positioned to shoot for back-to-back titles. All of its key players — Tatum, Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Al Horford and Payton Pritchard — are signed through at least next season. The Celtics hold a $2.1MM option on Sam Hauser‘s contract, which they will likely exercise.
Tatum is signed through the next two seasons, though he holds a $37.1MM player option for the 2025/26 season. Tatum is eligible for a five-year super-max extension worth a projected $315MM next month.
The Mavericks also have most of their rotation players signed through at least next season, with Derrick Jones Jr. the only exception — he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Dallas could look to make at least one significant upgrade via the trade market to provide another scoring option for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
With the Finals decided, the 2024 NBA offseason is officially underway. For the first time, teams will be permitted to negotiate contracts with their own free agents one day after the Finals. Players who won’t be free agents this offseason but who will become eligible to sign contract extensions on July 6 will also be permitted to negotiate with their current teams as of Tuesday.
Thus, it wouldn’t be surprising if some agreements are reported this week. Free agent contracts still can’t be officially finalized until after the July moratorium lifts on July 6.
The draft will be held on June 26-27 with free agency beginning on June 30 at 6 p.m. Eastern time.
Tatum staying overrated.
LMFAO
Aww, someone was grumpy last night.
Oh look, a casual.
Tatum versatility on display.
Jason Tatum gave up the most of the Celtics to win Celts 18th! He gave up his scoring, his top dog status and became our top rebounder and assist man. He drove into 3 or 4 opponents and then kicked the ball out. Great job Jason!
Exactly, Jaylen Brown is top 10 in the league, Tatum is top 75. Been saying this for the last 2 years.
Pretty strange how someone would brag about saying something so obviously ignorant for 2 years. We live in crazy times where people just don’t care to let people know how dumb they are.
You wanna list the 74 who are better you big genius?
Congrats Celtics! A great team to watch and root for. Number and stuck together through all the talk. A year after the nuggets another team that stuck together the core and believed in them. It’s almost like everyone would be better off not listening to any form of media.
Ps
The Stephen A Smith rant at halftime was embarrassing. Glad the others there called him out. As if Kyrie and Luka weren’t giving effort ant all. The Celtics as a team were a class of their own all year!
Yeah that halftime rant made him look like a fool hahaha. Talking about he wanted the mavs to “at least try”. Boston is just overwhelming but you know he gotta get mad for the camera
No he’s right. Boston is weak. What is Dallas doing? Weakest era ever
Weak take.
I’d actually say as soft as the game is now. This might be the best era of basketball in history. With the amount of talent in the league entering the league each year. We could see 10 different teams win championships in the next 10 seasons. Only the nets have a bleek future. Every other team is in decent position to be special.
Makes all the pro faker ESPN nufties talking crazy amount of garbage over the years oh so much more enjoyable. From Tatum and Brown can’t play together, Tatum can’t be the man on a winning team. Joe can’t coach, here he is youngest or second youngest coach to win ever. Kristaps is made of glass yet we did it largely without him in the playoffs and Kristaps clearly helped over the course of a season. Our bench sucks yet again guys like Pritchard, Kornet, Hauser all had shining moments over the season. All stepped up big at different times. Everybody else was injured but Bron winning a bubble chip when every team he played against had guys missing. Hardest chip ever won…..please. steph destroys a bunch of back ups every round and we have a debate over is Steph better than magic….please. the likes of Nick Wrong (rich Paul represent) Colin Clownherd aren’t going to like this. Like Jaylen said….I don’t give a F what people say. The real kings of the nba have returned. P.S white isn’t going anywhere, leave the new CBA rules restricting orher teams competing to their own. We marching forward as is……mic drop.
I agree with everything you’ve said, accept that if you haven’t realized that Stephan A “change the channel smith or Colin cowherd are jaunt overpaid hot take machines, I suggest you revaluate your perspective on blowhard talking head personalities
Oh I don’t get mad at clowns like that, their under instructions. I nod my head, laugh and wait to enjoy….like now.
“Oh I don’t get mad” right after your rambling fragment word salad of you complaining about being mad about the Celtics not getting credit. Dude they were the favorites all year to win it all. Also yes They had the easiest path to the finals ever when you look at all the injuries in the East. But they are an Excellent team probably the best team since KD left the Warriors. But they basically did what everybody was expecting them to do all season. Not sure what on earth you are complaining about but maybe don’t let clowns like Stephen A ruin your day going forward.
Thanks! You summed it up perfectly. I remember all that crap from the “experts.”
Ooohhhhh you’re a Boston guy. That makes so much sense.
Ohhhhh and you aren’t a Boston guy.
You being salty makes so much sense too.
Celtics winning makes me salty how exactly? I haven’t said one ill word about the Celtics. Wtf are you talking about
Not the quickest cat are you?
Guess that explains your obsession with the Lakers lmao
I think it’s time we ask, is Doris Burke one of the greatest commentators of all time? To me she’s a female Howard Cossel, John Madden type level. Great move by ESPN hiring her.
Congrats to my favorite team. best in the NBA this year by a wide margain. Specifically thank you Al, should have been MVP
Is it really over? Eventually Adam Silver will introduce a post postseason tournament, pairing the teams with the worst regular season records. That one will stretch into August, if not September.
NIT Title….don’t put it past that guy.
Boston were clearly the better team… 2-10
Kidd was out coached…
Luka was too beat up… But Brown often got the better of him on defence…
I’m going to make this about LeBron James. If he never left the Eastern conference vulnerable and at the same time torpedo the Lakers franchise, this would have never happened. We never wanted him in LA and his movies suck anyways.
So will ESPN. Bron is done pal, he can tell his stories walking. Nothing james could of done with this team. According to sheep posting on here and talking heads on ESPN Bron and AD are better than Tatum and Brown right now. Why didn’t they just get through the west? The team that did just got absolutely embarrassed. This chip sould definitely rival the bubble chip or joining forces with the third best shooting guard of all time ring chasing. These guys took their lumps, criticism, hate, got better together and won. LeBron has never done that lol. Boston should draft Bronny for the Maine Red claws pick before L.A. atleast get a few seconds out of L.A for Bronny hahaha.
Your team just won the finals and you’re going to focus on LBJ? Sad.
He’s already reading Lakers stories and complaining. There is literally no saving this clown. Dont waste your time.
“These guys took their lumps criticism hate got better and won. Lebron has never done that.” Lebron is the most hated on and criticized player in league history and has won 4 championships. Your team just won and you are on here crying about Lebron. I think that tells us all we need to know about what kind of person you are hahaha
Don’t worry Lakers will get bailed out again by another superstar
Rigged
Congratulations to the Celtics. That defense was suffocating. Brown all over Luka, Jrue Holiday a super stud, Derrick White blocking centers at The Rim, and Tatum stepping up as a scorer in the last game after everyone was doubting him.
Stomping on the throats of the Mavericks at home to take the championship in front of their fans. Great season and Far and Away the best in the east and took it right to the reps in the west.
Love Al Horford’s game and glad he’s coming back. Yes there’s a chance to repeat but after watching the Nuggets we can see how tough it really is. But great Championship run for the celtics. Kudos to a great season !!
Tatum averaged 25 points 10 boards and 6 assists in the playoffs, all while playing excellent defense. The only people doubting Tatum are casuals.
He was fantastic but I think his shooting percentage wasn’t his normal self? The last game seemed like he was determined to take the ball to the hole and score especially that first half from what I saw. He did a great job. A key piece of winning the whole thing.
That was a sweet season. Never challenged. Not once
Except for those pistons
Congrats Boston happy for your fans
However I will say it really doesn’t change to much on the narratives going about.
Can Tatum and Brown play together, obviously they can. Can they lead there team to a championship, yes.
In saying that tho if you throw two all nba players togther with 3 other all star/near all star level players on the same team you’d likely get the same result. The credit really has to go to Brad Stevens.
You beat Miami without Jimmy Butler, then beat the Cavs without Spida and Allen, then beat the Pacers who also only beat teams with injuries. Then came up against a Dallas team that were clearly no match for you.
Just for example tho, say you had Kawhi Leonard and Devin Booker paired with idk DeJounte Murray, Myles Turner and Jaren Jackson Jr.
That team also steam rolls the Heat, Cavs, Pacers and Mavs. Which is my point and why the narrative around Tatum in particular will still follow him. It was the easiest finals run ever and you got one of the most stacked teams. Might come across as hating from a Sixers fan but I’m just saying it how it is and if it were the Sixers I’d happily not care about the criticism, you just won a title, I’m just saying ….
“doesn’t change the narratives’
You mean the ones in your head? No one cares, I assure you.
Philly fan explains how even though Celtics won, they didn’t change the narrative.
Ok buddy.
Doesnt change the narrative…?
You mean outside of them having a ring now?
So the Celtics are so bad, their championship is not even considered a championship. So now the Celtics have to win back to back to get respect?
Grow up…Celtics won, nothing you can say any more. Celtics won. Tatum and Brown are correct, everyone can pound sand. They got the ring and the banner.
Celtics have 18. Your hatred of the Celtics changes nothing.
Seems to happen to the Champions every time. Everyone hated the Warriors when capturing 4 rings, especially the Kings fans who attack them still today lol. But it’s good to be NBA Champs and on the top. Enjoy it, well deserved.
You long ago admitted you don’t like the Celtics. It’s time to just be quiet for a bit.
Still don’t. You be quiet.
Congratulations to the Celtics for a well-deserved NBA championship. Not so much some of the fans.
Thinking about this more I’ll elaborate for a bit. Hate the Celtics. Love Jrue Holiday, love Derrick White, and love Al Horford. I’ll rave on those three every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
As a kid, one of my favorite players was Dennis Johnson. LOVED the way he played the game. Hated the Celtics.
Much respect to Larry Bird. He’s on my all-time starting five. Seems like he’s on a lot of guys all time starting five. Much respect to him as a player and really seems like a humble cool dude after his playing days. Hate the Celtics though.
Celtics have a great chance to repeat, KP only played in two series.
So tough to repeat. Look at the Nuggets. Plus Dallas has arrived and will only learn from this experience. Minnesota and OKC also full of athletes.
How long can Al Horford continue to do what he’s doing. The guy is amazing and really provides so much for that Celtics 5 spot on offense and defense. Will he slow down next year, if ever lol?
Hats off to the Celtics. They had a target on their backs all season and made it through practically unscathed. I think they are the best team we have seen overall since KD left the Warriors. As a Mavs fan it sucks to lose but would rather lose to a great team that deserves its flowers. Nothing but respect for this Celtics team.
Mavs will be back and much better next year.
Lively is the real deal and will anchor your team for a decade. I really like him as a player.
Thanks I agree. Personally I am very happy for Al Horford and happy the dumb Tatum/brown can’t get it done ignorant narrative can be put to rest. Like we just saw with this Celtics teams sometimes you have to take your lumps before you get to the top of the mountain. Hope the Mavs can get back and take that next step but it won’t get any easier. Even outside of this series there is a ton of good young talent and teams. The league is in good hands for sure.
And the crowd goes mild. Seriously why is TD garden so quiet?
Just glad for Horford. He waited a long time.
Yes, happiest for “Playoff Al!” He was the first big name to choose the Celtics! Thank you Al!
Jrue Holiday I think was the true MVP. A defensive menace, the hustle plays, and when he was getting in the paint the offense clicked.
And It was kind of nice to see Kyrie get a little ovation after the game. He’s an amazing player to watch play but not much of a threat. I knew when he came out in those Pocahontas shoes in game 1 the series was over.
Boston dominated all year due to their depth and lack of injuries. Really no one was close to them all year. I will never respect Tatum, but the rest of that team has my respect.