


The Celtics are NBA champions again.
Boston closed out Game 5 with an emphatic 106-88 win over the Mavericks at TD Garden on Monday night to capture their first NBA title since 2008 as head coach Joe Mazzulla joined an illustrious group of Celtics coaches such as Red Auerbach, Bill Russell and K.C. Jones to win championships in Boston.
It is an NBA record 18th championship for the franchise and came on the 16-year anniversary of the team’s last title. The Celtics are now one better than the rival Lakers’ 17 titles.
Jayson Tatum put up another impressive showing, scoring a team-leading 31 points in the Game 5 win.

The championship victory was likely made sweeter for Boston with one of the team’s most derided former players – Kyrie Irving – on the other side of the court.