The Celtics tried to sweep the Mavericks in Dallas Friday, but were blown out. Monday night in Boston, they responded with a blowout of their own to win their 18th NBA title at home.
The TD Garden crowd went wild as the C's took control early and never gave it up as they beat the Mavs 106-88.
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The championship comes 16 years to the day after Boston's last in 2008, when the Big Three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen led the Celtics to their first title since 1986.
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It also breaks a 4-year-old tie with the rival Los Angeles Lakers for the most championships in NBA history.
Jayson Tatum, whose playoff credentials have long been questioned by fans and commentators, put on a clinic, scoring a game-high 31 points to go along with 11 assists, eight rebounds and two steals.
Jaylen Brown was named Finals MVP. He scored 21 points in each of the Celtics' wins in the series, including a 30-point performance in Game 3. He contributed 21 points Monday.
PHOTOS: The Boston Celtics are NBA champions again!
"It was a full team effort, and I share this with my brothers, and my partner in crime, Jayson Tatum — he was with me the whole way," Brown said after winning the award. "I've been grateful for every moment, every opportunity."
"It was a full team effort, and I share this with my brothers, and my partner in crime, Jayson Tatum — he was with me the whole way," Brown said after winning the award.
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Tatum was asked what it means to be able to celebrate a championship alongside Brown, his longtime teammate.
"It means the world," he said. "This has been a long time coming, and damn, it was worth it."
It's the first championship for Tatum and Brown, as well as second-year head coach Joe Mazzulla. But it's been a longer wait for center Al Horford, who has been in the league since 2007.
"It's been long, a lot of hard work, but I'm so proud to be part of this team," Horford said. "I can't believe it. This is just how I pictured it. Here at the Garden, with our fans, everybody together, this is just how I saw it eight years ago."
Luka Dončić led the Mavs with 28 points while his fellow superstar, Kyrie Irving, scored 15 — one of three games in the series in which he was held under 20 points.
The former Celtic has been deeply unpopular in Boston since before his acrimonious split with the team, and fans booed loudly each time he touched the ball Monday. But as the clock ticked down in Game 5, he approached the Celtics' bench to deliver his congratulations.
"We finally ran into a team where they beat us fair and square, and we weren't able to respond to a lot of their runs and we weren't able to execute at a high level," Irving said after the game. "So when I was shaking everybody's hands, that was more of a sign of respect for their journey. They have been through an incredible five-year span of going to Game 7s or losing in the Finals, so they know what this bitter feeling feels like being up here answering questions about when this next year holds and I think they used everything as motivation."
Boston's streets were alive with celebration Monday night, but we're still waiting to find out when the official parade will be held.
