The Celtics raised Banner 18, then confirmed the Knicks how they did it

BOSTON — Only a few hours after they obtained their 2024 championship rings, the Celtics tied an NBA document for many three-pointers in a single recreation, hitting 29 threes en path to a 132-109 blowout win over the Knicks.

The beating — a bodily manifestation of Mazzulla Ball — fittingly got here after Celtics proprietor Wyc Grousbeck deemed the Celtics “one of many best groups ever assembled within the NBA”, and Commissioner Adam Silver proclaimed them the “winningest franchise in NBA historical past.”

In each sense, Banner Night time exceeded expectations for the followers who inundated TD Backyard hours earlier than tip-off. Celtic greats Bob Cousy, Cedric Maxwell, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen have been in the home for the ceremony, as was each participant on final yr’s championship group (with the exceptions of Svi Mykhailiuk and Oshae Brissett). Cousy, who turned 96 in August, was wheeled onto the ground, throwing up two peace indicators towards the gang.

Gamers and coaches alike careworn the importance of getting a number of generations of Celtics in attendance, with Al Horford citing the second he noticed them because the second that spurred essentially the most emotion.

“Man, these are legends,” Horford mentioned postgame. “There’s a accountability. There’s the Celtic legacy. We discuss loads of this stuff and and I really feel like that was a extremely particular second for me — simply seeing them come out, and us embracing them. It was very particular.”

Joe Mazzulla — who kissed the parquet when it was his flip to get his ring — referred to as the presence of Cousy and firm some of the vital elements of the celebration.

“We wouldn’t be the Celtics with out these guys, in the event that they didn’t maintain their finish of the accountability and the possession,” he mentioned.

Jayson Tatum identified he was 10 years outdated when Pierce, Allen, and Garnett gained the final Celtics’ ring.

“I’m nonetheless a fan of these guys,” Tatum mentioned. “They have been part of my childhood.”

As far the ceremony itself?

Mazzulla quipped he’d in all probability by no means put on the large ring, however that the banner itself was essentially the most particular half.

“I are available right here each afternoon and try these, they usually characterize a lot,” Mazzulla mentioned. “And so, the banner was the spotlight for me, as a result of it represents loads of issues that go into it, after which the rafters have a lifetime of their very own on this constructing.”

Brown, in the meantime, mentioned his championship ring stood for every part he’s skilled all through his profession.

“It’s every part — feelings, the heartbreak, embarrassment, the work, the drive, the dedication, that’s what that ring represents,” Brown mentioned. “All of that’s what you’re feeling.”

Numerous balcony followers expressed their pleasure and appreciation for the second, explaining how they’d been diehards for the Celtics for years, and that the 2024 ring ceremony was a dream fulfilled.

Jayson Tatum agreed that the second was definitely worth the wait: “It was every part I assumed it will be — and extra.”

Knicks-Celtics was the becoming follow-up to an emotional ceremony

After the jewellery was collected and the banner was raised, the present was simply starting. And instantly, the on-court play appeared to function a pleasant reminder of simply how dominant the journey to Banner 18 was. The Celtics led the new-look Knicks by 19 factors within the first quarter, and by as many 35 on the evening. The result of the sport was by no means unsure — the one lingering suspense was relating to whether or not they’d hit the elusive thirtieth three-pointer to interrupt an NBA single-game document (spoiler alert: they didn’t).

Photograph by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photographs

The cherry on high was the masterful efficiency of Jayson Tatum. After a summer time of discourse that inexplicably centered round his shortcomings, Tatum performed a near-perfect recreation, racking up 37 factors (on 14-18 taking pictures), 10 assists, and only one turnover in half-hour of actions. The remainder of the starters additionally all completed in double-figures; Derrick White with 24 factors, Jaylen Brown with 23, Jrue Vacation with 18, and Al Horford with 11. The identical beginning unit that carried the Celtics by means of a 16-3 postseason mixed to shoot a scorching 22/41 from downtown.

“The NBA must drug check all of them, I’ll inform you that proper now,” mentioned a surprised Josh Hart after the sport. “I ain’t ever seen nothing like that earlier than.”

However, the taking pictures masterpiece didn’t come out of skinny air. Relatively, it was borne out of a Celtics system that has empowered shooters and bred clear seems to be, one which’s solely persevering with to to bloom in 12 months 3 underneath Joe Mazzulla.

“Offensively, we simply type of picked up from the place we left off final yr,” mentioned Tatum. “We play to our strengths. We all know what we’re attempting to do, and who we’re attempting to assault. We all know what units and actions to get in. We work on it on a regular basis — we work on reads each single day in apply, and that’s primarily all we do.”

Mazzulla appreciated his group’s potential to transition from the feelings of the ring ceremony to the basketball recreation itself — whereas declaring the 2 seemingly separate occasions have been truly fairly linked.

“It was spectacular to go from that to that,” Mazzulla mentioned. “However, should you take a look at it the best way we need to, they’re the identical factor. The ring ceremony and the sport are the identical factor — as a result of there are the intangibles, there are the small print, the execution, the hassle, the togetherness and the toughness, and so we have been capable of keep it up these intangibles from there to there. That’s type of the objective.”

And, whether or not or not that notion is intuitive for the common particular person, the identical group that watched the banner get hung, took the chance to remind the world simply how they did it.

“I used to be locked in,” Jaylen Brown mentioned. “I wished to start out early on the defensive facet, simply attempting to put on them down, selecting up JB [Jalen Brunson] full court docket, simply attempting to make it powerful for him, attempting to impression the sport in numerous methods.”

Brown, Tatum, and Horford all took the rostrum after the win, leaning into the reflective spirit of the evening.

“My rookie yr, after I obtained drafted, that is what I mentioned I might do — I might go to battle for town,” Brown mentioned. “And it’s nice to look at that banner get raised.”

“It’s one thing I’ve been dreaming about for a really, very very long time,” Tatum mentioned. “A second that I’ve regarded ahead to since I’ve gotten to the league.”

Donning a Celtics championship jacket in his postgame presser, Brown acknowledged what each fan within the constructing was considering because the banner floated to the rafters: this championship was without end.

“We did one thing spectacular, no matter what all people obtained to say,” Jaylen Brown mentioned. “My identify, alongside my teammates’, goes to be etched down in Celtics historical past —which is among the greatest franchises in basketball and sports activities. You may by no means take that from no one that was on that group final yr.”