The Boston Celtics wasted no time opening golden bottles of champagne and celebrations went well into the night after becoming record-breaking NBA champions.
The Celtics now stand alone with 18 NBA titles after Monday night’s emphatic 106-88 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden, a victory that saw them eclipse the 17 titles the Lakers have won.
After winning the Larry O’Brien trophy, the triumphant Celtics team took the party from the field to the locker room.
There, the champagne and beers began to flow for history to be made. Jayson Tatum, who scored 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds, led the way once again for his team on its historic night.
He put down the trophy, put the champagne glasses over his eyes and started spraying his teammates to get the party started.
Jayson Tatum led the Boston Celtics’ celebrations after a historic 18th NBA title
Derrick White (left) and Kristaps Porzingis couldn’t wait to start spraying the champagne.
Jaden Springer and Jrue Holiday celebrate with a golden bottle in the Celtics locker room
Kristaps Porzingis soon followed, while teammate Sam Hauser started with beer on what promised to be a long night of partying.
Images also appeared on social media of Celtics fans going crazy in the streets of Boston, with many of their songs directed at Kyrie Irving.
The former Celtics player endured a miserable night and series with the Mavericks. His 15 points Monday night never worried his former team much.
But the night belonged to the Celtics players, who won the trophy for the first time since 2008.
“It means a lot,” Tatum said onstage after the team received the trophy from NBA commissioner Adam Silver. ‘It has been a long time. And damn, I’m grateful.
Jaylen Brown made sure to praise Tatum for his heroics that night, telling the TD Garden crowd, “I share this with my brothers and my partner in crime Jayson Tatum.”
Incredibly, Monday was the 107th playoff game Brown and Tatum played together, the most for any duo before winning a title.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzula is now an NBA champion at age 35 and said, “There’s nothing better than representing the Celtics and being a part of history.”
Neemias Queta made sure that none of his companions stayed dry for long
Jayson Tatum came to the locker room with the Larry O’Brien trophy in his hands
And soon enough, the trophy was the focal point of a raucous Celtics party Monday night.
Jaylen Brown had beer poured over his head as he watched the celebrations unfold.
Sam Hauser (right) holds a beer aloft with Tatum as the Celtics kick off a long party.
“You have very few opportunities in life to be great and you have very few opportunities in life to continue the ownership and responsibility of what these signs are, and all the great people, all the great players that came here.
‘When you have few opportunities in life, you just have to take the bull by the horns and just take it. And our guys owned it.
Derrick White, who broke a tooth in Monday’s game before becoming an NBA champion for the first time in his life, said team unity was a central reason in their quest for glory.
“We didn’t skip any steps from start to finish,” White told ESPN’s Lisa Salters. “Just the locker room and everything, this is special.”