The Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA basketball championship with a 106-88 Game 5 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.
After losing their first game of the series on Saturday, the Celtics rebounded with a home win at the TD Garden on Monday (18 June) to lead the series 4-1. An 18th NBA title makes them the most successful team in NBA history, surpassing the Los Angeles Lakers with 17 wins.
The Celtics boast two NBA champions, both of whom will represent the United States at the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday won gold medals at Tokyo 2020 in 2021 and have been named to the US men’s basketball team, which will defend its championship in Paris in July.
Tatum led the scoring in the decisive win with 31 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds. His combination with Jaylen Brown has shown to be the secret for success this season, with the latter scoring 21 points in Game 5 and collaborating brilliantly with Tatum.
Holiday led the Celtics with 11 rebounds and 15 points in the win, earning his second NBA ring. Luka Dončić of the Mavericks, who may also represent Slovenia in Paris 2024, was the lone player on the court with the most rebounds.
An overpowering first half performance gave the Celtics a leg up on the trophy, and despite being outscored in the remaining two quarters, they strolled to win with their joint-second best score of the NBA Finals.
