The The Boston Celtics won the eighteenth ring in their history this Monday and broke the tie with the Los Angeles Lakers to become the most winning franchise in the history of the NBAafter closing the series for the ring against the Dallas Mavericks 4-1.
The Celtics triumphed 106-88 at the TD Garden in Boston against the Mavs and They ended a title drought that had lasted since 2008.
This title is added to those that those in green won in 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986 and 2008.
The Mavericks lost the second Finals in their history and were unable to get their hands back on the ring after the 2011 titlethe only one in its history.
Team with the most NBA titles
In the NBA from the very beginning (they were one of the eight founding teams in 1946), the Celtics began their legend in the 1950s with Red Auerbach as coach and Bill Russell as star.
The result of uniting these two basketball icons? One of the most overwhelming and unforgettable dynasties in American sports with 19 consecutive playoff appearances and 11 titles until 1969 (they only lost one of the 12 Finals they played in).
Those in green would add two more titles in the 70s (1974 and 1976), but their second golden era would come in the 80s with Larry Bird in command and Kevin McHale and Robert Parish as luxury squires.
Three more rings went to Boston (1981, 1984 and 1986), which in the process built a fascinating rivalry – and which would also lay the foundations of the modern NBA – with the Los Angeles Lakers of Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson and Kareem’s ‘showtime’ Abdul-Jabbar (five rings in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988).
Defeat Gasol and Bryant’s Lakers
On the other hand, the Celtics’ 17th title took a long time to come: until 2008, when Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen They precisely defeated Kobe Bryant’s Lakers and Pau Gasol.
The Angelenos would take revenge just two years later by also taking the ring against the Celtics.
Since then, the Celtics, not counting this year’s, have only reached the Finals once more. It was in 2022, when with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown at the helm they fell for the title 4-2 against Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors despite having a 1-2 lead after three games.
