The Boston Celtics claimed a record-breaking 18th NBA championship after wrapping up a 4-1 series win over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA finals. This was Celtics' first win in 16 years and it puts them one clear of the Perennial rivals Los Angeles Lakers for the most titles in NBA history.

NBA Finals: Celtics win record-breaking 18th title

Kristaps Porzingis dazzled in his return from injury and the Boston Celtics dominated on both ends of the floor to beat the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 in game one of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

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Kristaps Porzingis makes a key impact in his return as the <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@celtics</a> take a 1-0 lead in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAFinals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAFinals</a> presented by <a href="https://twitter.com/YouTubeTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YouTubeTV</a>! 
 
Jaylen Brown: 22 PTS, 6 REB, 3 BLK, 3 STL 
Jayson Tatum: 16 PTS, 11 REB, 5 AST 
Luka Doncic: 30 PTS, 4 3PM, 10 REB 
 
Game 2: Sunday, 8:00pm/et on ABC <a href="https://t.co/oHVDcafkD0">pic.twitter.com/oHVDcafkD0</a>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1798923345205043661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Porzingis missed 10 games after straining his right calf in the first round of the playoffs but made an immediate impact on his return in front of a raucous home crowd.

The Celtics built a 29-point lead in the first half and then thwarted the Mavericks' third-quarter surge to gain the upper hand in the best-of-seven championship series.

Porzingis came off the bench against his former team and scored 11 points with three rebounds and a pair of big blocks in the first quarter as Boston jumped to a 37-20 lead.

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After eight lead changes in little more than six minutes, the Celtics began to impose themselves, pulling away with the help of seven three-pointers in the first quarter alone and keeping up the relentless pace as the Mavs struggled to get their offense firing.

Boston finished with 16 three-pointers on a whopping 42 attempts. Jaylen Brown scored 22 points to lead six Celtics players who scored in double figures.

Brown had three of the Celtics' nine blocked shots and three of their six steals in an outstanding defensive display. Porzingis finished with 20 points and Jayson Tatum scored 16 points with 11 rebounds and five assists.

<h2>- Doncic scores 30 -</h2>

Dallas star Luka Doncic scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. But he had just one assist and star teammate Kyrie Irving was limited to 12 points on six-of-19 shooting.

Nevertheless, the Mavs managed to slice the deficit to eight points in the third quarter, only for the Celtics to pull away again.

"Defensively we made some big-time plays," Brown said. "When they cut it to eight, that's when the game started.

"I liked how our team responded. We stayed composed. Offensively, we got to our spacing and was able to push that lead back out and make some plays on offense.

"That was a big third quarter," he said.

Doncic, who has been playing through a right knee injury and a sore left ankle, struggled to find his shot.

He picked up the pace in the second quarter but Dallas couldn't find a way to slow the Celtics, who pushed their lead to 29 points, 58-29, on Tatum's three-pointer with 4:11 left in the first half.

That capped a 14-4 scoring run that included a steal and driving dunk from Brown.

The Celtics' early surge had TD Garden rocking, the crowd featuring luminaries from around the sports world including Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

Dallas made a push to start the third, when the Celtics went cold from three-point range and Dallas heated up.

Doncic drilled a trey to cut the deficit to 72-64 with 4:28 left in the period.

"I think in those moments we were playing our basketball," Doncic said. "We were getting stops. We didn't allow them to offensive rebound. We were having fun out there those couple moments, and that's what we've got to do more."

It didn't last however. A cutting dunk from Porzingis keyed a 14-0 scoring run that included Brown's rejection at the rim of Derrick Jones Jr. and another Brown block on Irving.

Three-pointers from Tatum, Al Horford and Brown saw the Celtics take an 86-66 lead into the fourth.

"When a team goes on a run, you've got to manage it, you've got to stay composed, and you've got to keep playing basketball," Brown said. "It's almost like you just have short-term memory a little bit, like the team's not even on a run."

Kristaps Porzingis dazzled in his return from injury and the Boston Celtics dominated on both ends of the floor to beat the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 in game one of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

Kristaps Porzingis dazzled in his return from injury and the Boston Celtics dominated on both ends of the floor to beat the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 in game one of the NBA Finals on Thursday. Kristaps Porzingis makes a key impact in his return as the @celtics take a 1-0 lead in the #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV! Jaylen Brown: 22 PTS, 6 REB, 3 BLK, 3 STL Jayson Tatum: 16 PTS, 11 REB, 5 AST Luka Doncic: 30 PTS, 4 3PM, 10 REB Game 2: Sunday, 8:00pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/oHVDcafkD0 — NBA (@NBA) June 7, 2024 × Porzingis missed 10 games after straining his right calf in the first round of the playoffs but made an immediate impact on his return in front of a raucous home crowd. The Celtics built a 29-point lead in the first half and then thwarted the Mavericks' third-quarter surge to gain the upper hand in the best-of-seven championship series. Porzingis came off the bench against his former team and scored 11 points with three rebounds and a pair of big blocks in the first quarter as Boston jumped to a 37-20 lead. ALSO READ: French Open: Italy's Jasmine Paolini in dreamland after reaching first-ever Grand Slam final After eight lead changes in little more than six minutes, the Celtics began to impose themselves, pulling away with the help of seven three-pointers in the first quarter alone and keeping up the relentless pace as the Mavs struggled to get their offense firing. Boston finished with 16 three-pointers on a whopping 42 attempts. Jaylen Brown scored 22 points to lead six Celtics players who scored in double figures. Brown had three of the Celtics' nine blocked shots and three of their six steals in an outstanding defensive display. Porzingis finished with 20 points and Jayson Tatum scored 16 points with 11 rebounds and five assists. - Doncic scores 30 - Dallas star Luka Doncic scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. But he had just one assist and star teammate Kyrie Irving was limited to 12 points on six-of-19 shooting. Nevertheless, the Mavs managed to slice the deficit to eight points in the third quarter, only for the Celtics to pull away again. "Defensively we made some big-time plays," Brown said. "When they cut it to eight, that's when the game started. "I liked how our team responded. We stayed composed. Offensively, we got to our spacing and was able to push that lead back out and make some plays on offense. "That was a big third quarter," he said. Doncic, who has been playing through a right knee injury and a sore left ankle, struggled to find his shot. He picked up the pace in the second quarter but Dallas couldn't find a way to slow the Celtics, who pushed their lead to 29 points, 58-29, on Tatum's three-pointer with 4:11 left in the first half. That capped a 14-4 scoring run that included a steal and driving dunk from Brown. The Celtics' early surge had TD Garden rocking, the crowd featuring luminaries from around the sports world including Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. Dallas made a push to start the third, when the Celtics went cold from three-point range and Dallas heated up. Doncic drilled a trey to cut the deficit to 72-64 with 4:28 left in the period. "I think in those moments we were playing our basketball," Doncic said. "We were getting stops. We didn't allow them to offensive rebound. We were having fun out there those couple moments, and that's what we've got to do more." It didn't last however. A cutting dunk from Porzingis keyed a 14-0 scoring run that included Brown's rejection at the rim of Derrick Jones Jr. and another Brown block on Irving. Three-pointers from Tatum, Al Horford and Brown saw the Celtics take an 86-66 lead into the fourth. "When a team goes on a run, you've got to manage it, you've got to stay composed, and you've got to keep playing basketball," Brown said. "It's almost like you just have short-term memory a little bit, like the team's not even on a run."

Basketball: Celtics thump Mavericks 107-89 in game one of NBA Finals

Jaylen Brown will remain with the Boston Celtics after agreeing a record-breaking $304 million five-year contract extension, US media reports said on Tuesday.

If confirmed, the mammoth deal will be the richest contract in NBA history, eclipsing the $264 million extension inked by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic last year.

The 26-year-old Brown has been one of the mainstays of the Celtics' success in recent years, helping the team reach the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons.

Brown's new deal will ensure the two-time All Star remains in Boston until the end of the 2028-2029 season.

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Brown had one year remaining on his existing deal with the Celtics, which will pay him $31.8 million for the 2023-2024 campaign.

Brown posted career-best figures of 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 2022-2023, forming a potent offensive partnership with Jayson Tatum.

However, the Celtics' season ended in disappointment with the team losing at home to Miami in game seven of the Eastern Conference finals.

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Jaylen Brown will remain with the Boston Celtics after agreeing a record-breaking $304 million five-year contract extension, US media reports said on Tuesday. If confirmed, the mammoth deal will be the richest contract in NBA history, eclipsing the $264 million extension inked by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic last year.

Jaylen Brown will remain with the Boston Celtics after agreeing a record-breaking $304 million five-year contract extension, US media reports said on Tuesday. If confirmed, the mammoth deal will be the richest contract in NBA history, eclipsing the $264 million extension inked by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic last year. The 26-year-old Brown has been one of the mainstays of the Celtics' success in recent years, helping the team reach the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons. Brown's new deal will ensure the two-time All Star remains in Boston until the end of the 2028-2029 season. ALSO READ | Basketball: LeBron James' son Bronny stable after suffering cardiac arrest during practice Brown had one year remaining on his existing deal with the Celtics, which will pay him $31.8 million for the 2023-2024 campaign. Brown posted career-best figures of 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 2022-2023, forming a potent offensive partnership with Jayson Tatum. However, the Celtics' season ended in disappointment with the team losing at home to Miami in game seven of the Eastern Conference finals. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: Jaylen Brown, Celtics agree record $304 million deal - reports

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 26 to propel the Boston Celtics to a 116-100 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday and a 2-1 lead in the&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;Finals. Marcus Smart added 24 points for the Celtics, who led by as many as 18 in the first half at TD Garden.

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They weathered another third-quarter surge from the Warriors, who briefly took a one-point lead only for the Celtics to pull away late for the convincing win. Boston, seeking a record 18th&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;title, host game four of the best-of-seven series on Friday.

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 26 to propel the Boston Celtics to a 116-100 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday and a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 26 to propel the Boston Celtics to a 116-100 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday and a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals. Marcus Smart added 24 points for the Celtics, who led by as many as 18 in the first half at TD Garden. ALSO READ | Columbian cyclist wins race, celebrations cut-short after he crashes into his wife - WATCH They weathered another third-quarter surge from the Warriors, who briefly took a one-point lead only for the Celtics to pull away late for the convincing win. Boston, seeking a record 18th NBA title, host game four of the best-of-seven series on Friday.

Boston Celtics beat Golden State Warriors, take 2-1 lead in NBA Finals

James Harden erupted for a 34-point triple-double as the Brooklyn Nets wrapped up their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series over the Boston Celtics with a 123-109 victory on Tuesday.

Harden added 10 rebounds and 10 assists while Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant also weighed in with big contributions as the Nets completed a 4-1 victory in the best-of-seven series.

Second seeds Brooklyn will now face the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the conference semi-finals.

On Tuesday's evidence at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn will head into the semi-finals brimming with confidence after signs that their big three of Harden, Irving and Durant are starting to click just at the right time.

While Harden led the scoring for Brooklyn, both Irving and Durant came up big as the Nets accelerated away in the fourth quarter after the Celtics had pulled to within seven points at the end of the third period.

Irving finished with 25 points while Durant added 24 points as Brooklyn piled on 37 points in a fourth-quarter scoring blitz.

"We've dealt with so much adversity through the regular season, it felt good to get some meaningful games in," Harden said. "It's time to lock in now."

"They're a tough Boston team. They were down a few players. But they kept fighting and fighting and made it tough for us.

"We're a special group, especially when we lock in defensively. If we can get three or four stops in a row -- we can get it going offensively because we've got that much firepower."

Boston's scorers were led by Jayson Tatum, who despite being clearly short of full fitness finished with 32 points. French international Evan Fournier finished with 18 points while Romeo Langford added 17.

James Harden erupted for a 34-point triple-double as the Brooklyn Nets wrapped up their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series over the Boston Celtics with a 123-109 victory on Tuesday.

James Harden erupted for a 34-point triple-double as the Brooklyn Nets wrapped up their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series over the Boston Celtics with a 123-109 victory on Tuesday. Harden added 10 rebounds and 10 assists while Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant also weighed in with big contributions as the Nets completed a 4-1 victory in the best-of-seven series. Second seeds Brooklyn will now face the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the conference semi-finals. On Tuesday's evidence at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn will head into the semi-finals brimming with confidence after signs that their big three of Harden, Irving and Durant are starting to click just at the right time. While Harden led the scoring for Brooklyn, both Irving and Durant came up big as the Nets accelerated away in the fourth quarter after the Celtics had pulled to within seven points at the end of the third period. Irving finished with 25 points while Durant added 24 points as Brooklyn piled on 37 points in a fourth-quarter scoring blitz. "We've dealt with so much adversity through the regular season, it felt good to get some meaningful games in," Harden said. "It's time to lock in now." "They're a tough Boston team. They were down a few players. But they kept fighting and fighting and made it tough for us. "We're a special group, especially when we lock in defensively. If we can get three or four stops in a row -- we can get it going offensively because we've got that much firepower." Boston's scorers were led by Jayson Tatum, who despite being clearly short of full fitness finished with 32 points. French international Evan Fournier finished with 18 points while Romeo Langford added 17.

Basketball: James Harden fires as 'Big Three' lead Nets past Celtics

KC Jones, a 12-time NBA champion as a player and coach and 1956 Olympic gold medalist, has died, his former club the Boston Celtics announced Friday. He was 88.

Jones, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989, captured 10 titles as a player, two more as a coach and two others as an assistant coach.

"The Celtics family mourns the loss of twelve-time NBA champion, two-time NCAA champion, Gold medal-winning Olympian and Hall of Famer K.C. Jones as we celebrate his remarkable career and life," the Celtics said in a statement.

Jones played college basketball at the University of San Francisco, winning 1955 and 1956 national crowns and a 1956 Melbourne Olympics title alongside future Celtics teammate Bill Russell.

Russell tweeted that he was told Jones died Friday morning.

"The way that he was revered by the players he played with, by the people he worked with, by the players that played for him, he was special," said current Celtics coach Brad Stevens.

With the Celtics, Jones won eight consecutive titles from 1959 to 1966. The club retired his jersey number, 25, in 1967.

Only Celtics teammates Russell and Sam Jones won more career NBA titles as players.

"Where K.C. Jones went, winning was sure to follow," the Celtics said.

Jones joined Russell, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Quinn Buckner, Jerry Lucas and Clyde Lovellette as the only players to complete the "Triple Crown" of NBA and NCAA titles plus Olympic gold.

Jones served as an assistant coach for the 1972 NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers and served as head coach for the Washington Bullets for three seasons, but he joined the Celtics coaching staff in 1978 and was an assistant when they won the 1981 NBA crown.

In 1983, Jones was named Celtics head coach and guided the team to NBA championships in 1984 and 1986. Boston also reached the NBA finals under Jones in 1985 and 1987.

"K.C. also demonstrated that one could be both a fierce competitor and a gentleman in every sense of the word," the Celtics said in their statement.

"He made his teammates better and he got the most out of the players he coached. Never one to seek credit, his glory was found in the most fundamental of basketball ideals -- being part of a winning team."

KC Jones, a 12-time NBA champion as a player and coach and 1956 Olympic gold medalist, has died, his former club the Boston Celtics announced Friday. He was 88. Jones, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989, captured 10 titles as a player, two more as a coach and two others as an assistant coach.

KC Jones, a 12-time NBA champion as a player and coach and 1956 Olympic gold medalist, has died, his former club the Boston Celtics announced Friday. He was 88. Jones, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989, captured 10 titles as a player, two more as a coach and two others as an assistant coach. "The Celtics family mourns the loss of twelve-time NBA champion, two-time NCAA champion, Gold medal-winning Olympian and Hall of Famer K.C. Jones as we celebrate his remarkable career and life," the Celtics said in a statement. Jones played college basketball at the University of San Francisco, winning 1955 and 1956 national crowns and a 1956 Melbourne Olympics title alongside future Celtics teammate Bill Russell. Russell tweeted that he was told Jones died Friday morning. "The way that he was revered by the players he played with, by the people he worked with, by the players that played for him, he was special," said current Celtics coach Brad Stevens. With the Celtics, Jones won eight consecutive titles from 1959 to 1966. The club retired his jersey number, 25, in 1967. Only Celtics teammates Russell and Sam Jones won more career NBA titles as players. "Where K.C. Jones went, winning was sure to follow," the Celtics said. Jones joined Russell, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Quinn Buckner, Jerry Lucas and Clyde Lovellette as the only players to complete the "Triple Crown" of NBA and NCAA titles plus Olympic gold. Jones served as an assistant coach for the 1972 NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers and served as head coach for the Washington Bullets for three seasons, but he joined the Celtics coaching staff in 1978 and was an assistant when they won the 1981 NBA crown. In 1983, Jones was named Celtics head coach and guided the team to NBA championships in 1984 and 1986. Boston also reached the NBA finals under Jones in 1985 and 1987. "K.C. also demonstrated that one could be both a fierce competitor and a gentleman in every sense of the word," the Celtics said in their statement. "He made his teammates better and he got the most out of the players he coached. Never one to seek credit, his glory was found in the most fundamental of basketball ideals -- being part of a winning team."

Celtics confirm death of 12-time NBA champion KC Jones

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