Surprise MVP as Boston Celtics win record breaking 18th NBA championship

The Boston Celtics have claimed a historic 18th NBA championship, quashing their playoff demons to edge ahead of the LA Lakers.

The Celtics are NBA champions.

The Boston Celtics have done it, defeating Dallas 106-88 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to clinch a historic 18th NBA championship and their first since 2008.

A strong second quarter at Boston’s TD Garden put the Celtics in the box seat, before Payton Pritchard game off the bench to nail a buzzer beater from halfcourt for the second time this series.

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Legendary NBA commentator Mike Breen called it: “Here’s Pritchard, he loves these. Puts it up half court at the buzzer. BANG! Pritchard at the buzzer with a three-pointer. He’s done it again!”

Pritchard’s shot was effectively a first half dagger and the Celtics cruised to the championship in a second half that became a coronation.

That was pure chaos for the Pritchard 3 — crowd knew it was coming and then he made it. Insane.

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 18, 2024

is it possible for a shot in the first half to be the dagger bc that certainly felt like one

— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) June 18, 2024

Pritchard only played one minute of game time and that three-pointer was his only made shot of the game.

Watch Payton Pritchard’s buzzer beater in the video above

Payton Pritchard hit a first half dagger. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The Celtics have their 18th championship. Photo: Adam Glanzman/Getty Images/AFP.

Boston was clearly the best team throughout the regular season, finishing with a 64-18 win loss record.

It’s a crowning moment for star Celtics duo Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, who was in tears after the victory.

Tatum had 31 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds in the title clinching game. He post-game: “What they gonna say now?”

Brown was awarded the Bill Russell Trophy as Finals MVP in recognition of his superb offensive and defensive efforts.

“It was a full team effort,” Brown said.

“I share this with my brothers and my partner in crime Jayson Tatum. He was with me the whole way. So we share this s*** together.”

The Celtics made the most of their Eastern Conference rivals being ravaged by injury, losing only three games throughout the entire postseason as they banished their recent playoffs demons.

The Celtics had made at least the Eastern Conference in six out of last seasons. They lost to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 Finals and were upset by the Miami Heat in last year’s Conference Finals. Now they have finally made it over the hump.

I hate that the Celtics officially have more championships than us now 🙄

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 18, 2024

The Celtics and LA Lakers had been tied on 17 NBA titles each, but this championship sees Boston edge ahead in the battle between the historic franchises.

Jayson Tatum is an NBA champion. Photo: Elsa/Getty Images/AFP.

Tatum couldn’t believe it. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Jrue Holiday is now a two-time NBA champion, adding to the title he won with Milwaukee in 2021.

Veteran centre Al Horford claimed his first NBA championship at 38 years of age.

Dallas star Luka Doncic averaged nearly 30 points in the Finals, but his defence and overall impact was well down compared to his earlier playoff series.

Mavericks star Kyrie Irving congratulated members of the Celtics, his old team, when the result was beyond doubt with three minutes remaining.

The Celtics are the sixth different NBA champion in the last six seasons as the league enjoys more parity than ever.