Boston Celtics outclassed Dallas Mavericks 106-88 to clinch a record-breaking 18th NBA championship crown on Monday.
After suffering a humbling by Dallas in a 38-point game four drubbing on Friday, Boston ended any hopes of a Mavericks fightback to seal a 4-1 series victory.
Boston Celtics pulled clear of their arch-rival Los Angeles Lakers to stand alone with 18 NBA titles.
The win came 16 years to the day after Boston’s last NBA Finals win — over the Lakers — in 2008.
Jaylen Brown, who was named Finals Most Valuable Player, contributed with 21 points, while Jrue Holiday added 15 and Derrick White 14.
“It was a full team effort,” said Brown, who averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists in five Finals games.
The defeat marked a miserable end to the finals for Dallas duo Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, who had led the Western Conference fifth seeds on an improbable giant-killing journey to the NBA Finals.
Doncic, sensational during the Mavs’ game four rout of the Celtics, finished with 28 points.
“I’m proud of every guy that stepped on the floor, all the coaches, all the people behind,” defeated Doncic said afterwards.
