Celtics Defeat Dallas to Claim Record 18th NBA Title

Jayson Tatum hoists the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy following Boston's 106-88 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Jaylen Brown of the Celtics earned the title of Most Valuable Player for his stellar defensive performance against Luka Doncic, the regular-season's top scorer. Dallas managed to extend the series with a 122-84 victory on Friday, preventing the Celtics from achieving a clean sweep in the best-of-seven championship series.

However, in front of their home crowd in Boston, the Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum's 31-point display, found inspiration to secure victory. This championship triumph marks the Celtics' first in 16 years, placing them ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers, who have 17 championships, in the record books.

"It was a collective team effort," stated MVP Brown, who contributed 21 points. "I share this with my teammates and my partner in crime Jayson Tatum – he was by my side throughout, so we share this together."

The game was a difficult one for Dallas' Kyrie Irving, who departed the Celtics in 2019 and faced heckling from the crowd while managing to score only 15 points.

The Celtics asserted dominance early, leading 67-46 at halftime, with Irving and Doncic combining for just 14 points in the first quarter. Although Dallas mounted a brief comeback in the latter part of the third quarter, they were unable to overcome the Celtics, who held a 19-point lead going into the final quarter.