The Boston Celtics are NBA champions after defeating the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. With the victory, they clinched their 18th title, the most in NBA history.
The Celtics were led by Jayson Tatum with a 31-point, 11-assist and 8-rebound performance. Tatum led the Celtics in points, rebounds and assists in the playoffs, becoming the sixth player to lead a title-winning team in each of those categories for the postseason.
Jaylen Brown was named Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals, averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals in the series. He is the first player to win NBA Finals MVP without making an All-NBA team that same season since Andre Iguodala in 2015.
Payton Pritchard made sure the Celtics had all of the momentum heading into halftime. The Boston guard hadn't played the entire half, but head coach Joe Mazzulla inserted Pritchard into the game with four seconds left in the second quarter.
Pritchard immediately made an impact by swishing a 49-foot 3-pointer, the longest made shot in the Finals in the past 25 years. The shot put the Celtics up 67-46 going into halftime. It was Pritchard's third buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the 2024 playoffs, the last one coming in Game 2 of the Finals to end the third quarter.
The deep 3-pointer prompted reaction from some of the sports world's biggest names.
PRITCHARD
— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) June 18, 2024
Bro i hate this dude 😂😂😂😂😂
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) June 18, 2024
pritchard legendary it's stamped🤯
— Paolo Banchero (@Pp_doesit) June 18, 2024
Buzzer beating shots are really Pritchard's specialty that's crazy😂
— Paige Bueckers (@paigebueckers1) June 18, 2024
pritchard really be hitting that shot hahaha
— Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) June 18, 2024
The sports world chimed in on social media with reactions to the Celtics' dominant playoff run.
New England welcomes banner No. 18
Another one in Boston ☘️
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 18, 2024
BANNER 18!!!!
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) June 18, 2024
CONGRATS, @CELTICS 🏆 pic.twitter.com/bhRwaGhiYS
BANNER 18 ✅
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) June 18, 2024
Congrats, @celtics!!! pic.twitter.com/0qlD3fZcTh
1️⃣8️⃣
— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) June 18, 2024
Congrats @celtics !! Y'all def deserve it!
— LeGarrette Blount (@LG_Blount) June 18, 2024
Alma maters send congratulations
NBA CHAMPION JT ‼️🏆💙🍀
— Duke Men's Basketball (@DukeMBB) June 18, 2024
🫡 @jaytatum0 💪#DukeintheNBA 😈 pic.twitter.com/EffpbhWb6p
JAYLEN BROWN, NBA CHAMPION! 🏆#GoBears x #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/Xa9qVQG9sx
— Cal Basketball (@CalMBBall) June 18, 2024
𝐍𝐁𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍, 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍.
— UCLA Men's Basketball (@UCLAMBB) June 18, 2024
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 to @Jrue_Holiday11 of the Boston @Celtics on winning the 2024 NBA Finals‼️#NBABruins | #ChampionsMadeHere 🏀🏆 pic.twitter.com/S2a7lPqgsc
DERRICK WHITE. NBA CHAMPION. 🏆#GoBuffs | #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/CAsbOuWU4x
— Colorado Men's Basketball (@CUBuffsMBB) June 18, 2024
Al Horford, NBA CHAMP 🏆
— Florida Gators Men's Basketball (@GatorsMBK) June 18, 2024
Congrats to our guy @Al_Horford + the @celtics for getting that ring 💍#GoGators pic.twitter.com/idaWNRdpMx
NBA CHAMPION 🏆 pic.twitter.com/jiNtO8xpxb
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) June 18, 2024
Payton Pritchard, NBA Champion. #GoDucks x @paytonpritch3 pic.twitter.com/HmZHJCjNdZ
— Oregon Men's Basketball (@OregonMBB) June 18, 2024
Magic Johnson speaks for Laker Nation
I hate that the Celtics officially have more championships than us now 🙄
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 18, 2024
Love for Al Horford
We love you big Al
— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) June 18, 2024
Happy for Al Horford!!
— Gerald McCoy (@Geraldini93) June 18, 2024
Dirk offers support
Great run @dallasmavs
— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) June 18, 2024
Heads up!! We will be back!!!
ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report.
