BOSTON — The togetherness of this Celtics team stood out when a line of dozens of reporters, videographers and photographers spilled into Boston’s locker room on the night the team claimed its 18th championship.
“When I got drafted to the Celtics, I thought about it. I knew this would be a possibility,” Jordan Walsh told CLNS Media/CelticsBlog with goggles over his forehead as music blasted. “With the guys that we had, the way that we built our team, it was possible to win a championship and that’s the best way to start my first year. I learned what the expectation is. I learned what it takes to win, what’s necessary, sacrifices you gotta make and it’s a long journey.”
Walsh leaped away, twirling his fingers and poured a Bud Light over JD Davison’s head. Neemias Queta held a championship belt over his shoulder and lifted the Larry O’Brien trophy over his head. Drew Peterson smoked a cigar. None of the four played playoff minutes, but for Boston, nobody seemed excluded from their part in the playoff push.
The Celtics defined themselves by sacrifice, and made sure throughout 2024 to emphasize that role players who didn’t log minutes consistently were valued by their ability to step in when necessary. Payton Pritchard appeared for 1:25 in the clincher, and drew as many reporters as any other player in the room for his contribution — a second half court buzzer beater in the series. He didn’t sub himself in this time, he said, but he still came through.
“This is just the start,” Pritchard said. “I got a lot more ahead of me. This is just gonna add to the journey. This just adds more fire to me, so I’m gonna want more … it’s special to be a part of this group.”
The first thing visible when the door opened on the celebration was team governor Wyc Grousbeck sharing a TV interview with Xavier Tillman Sr., the Celtics depth big who arrived at the trade deadline and played sparingly before helping Boston win Game 3 of the Finals with Kristaps Porziņģis out.
Behind them, a staff of unsung assistants, Jermaine Bucknor, Tyler Lashbrook and Matt Reynolds, leaped around and screamed the lyrics to Lil Wayne’s “Let the Beat Build” as the speakers belted its bass through the room. Jrue Holiday looked their way with his eyes and smile widened. Luke Kornet, towering above the crowd, leaned over it and pointed at Tillman across the room with a Miller Lite in his other hand. Kornet said he might not make Tuesday morning mass. One assistant thanked a media member for their coverage all year.
The room featured a mix of front office executives, team staff, including chefs and security, coaches, trainers, stars and bench players, along with family members, all mixing in, dancing, drenching each other and filling the room with the smell of smoke. Isaiah Covington, one of the team’s trainers, handled the iPad and selected the music, per usual.
“All championship good vibes,” Covington said. “Some Lil Wayne, and we’re gonna go.”
The rest of the night featured Young Thug, Future, Jay Z, Peso Pluma and Morgan Wallen, among others. It all played to different tastes. It all played well in a room willing to roll with whatever plan worked for the larger group.
Then, Not Like Us came on. More bottles started spraying. Bucknor felt a full one pour over his head. Bodies started flying around near the whiteboard in the back of the room. Queta and Oshae Brissett, a Toronto native and Drake fan, embraced and danced to it anyway. Peterson and Walsh emptied a pair of beer cans in Grousbeck’s face, blinding him for a moment as he tossed up two middle fingers.
“I knew I’d be in the NBA, but NBA championship? That thing felt like a dream and a stretch,” Brissett told CLNS/CelticsBlog. “It still feels like a dream, but I’m here and I’m embracing it. I’m proud of myself for being here. It took a lot of hard work to get here, to stay in the league, and I did it. I grew, on the court and off the court, mentally, physically, I grew and Imma keep going. The rest of my career, I’m gonna keep this with me, and I’m just gonna try to build off it. This is something I want to experience for the rest of my career.”
The Celtics continued to struggle describing what that night felt like, but on the visitors’ side, it took a more somber tone. Jason Kidd gave his perspective of the series, reflecting on his 2011 championship with Dallas and noting that his biggest feeling was wanting to continue playing. The Mavericks and himself had reached such a high level of execution and rhythm that, especially at his age then, he wanted to keep it going. Some Celtics already moved on to talking about doing it again.
For such a process-oriented group this season, reaching the destination appeared as surreal as it was fulfilling. For a roster that sometimes looked so focused that they grew tight, the players let it all loose until the sun rose the following morning.
Over the following week, as the crowds celebrating them publicly grew to millions, it became real. Al Horford smiled everywhere he went and embraced each moment he met with fans. Jayson Tatum tweeted how much he loved being called champ.
Everyone had their own significance in being part of the group. Stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum removed years of doubt and skepticism. Porziņģis answered whatever doubt existed about his toughness and ability to add to a winning team. Derrick White reaped the reward of the difficult transition from San Antonio and constantly sacrificing his body. Holiday already reflected on Boston feeling like where he was supposed to be after the Damian Lillard trade thwarted his hopes of finishing his career in Milwaukee.
It set in for Maine assistant general manager and Celtics scout Ashley Battle that she’d add an NBA championship alongside her college national championships. Jarell Christian, who leads Maine’s front office, also grew emotional thinking about his journey. For Sam Cassell, who brought Kevin Garnett into the celebration through Facetime, he joined a short list of Celtics who won as a player and coach.
Cassell had stressed early on to Boston’s players upon returning how it feels to win with the Celtics. That entered Horford’s mind as last week progressed, as a similar conversation with Danny Ainge in 2016 helped draw him to the team in pursuit of this goal.
Now, it was playing out. Hundreds lined Boylston Street in 100-degree heat last week to see him at a Raising Cane’s event. Joe Mazzulla led the parade the following day, raising his arms, screaming, catching items and signing them the whole way.
“I know how it feels to win a championship in Boston … It’s life changing,” Cassell said last July. “I’ve been retired from the game of basketball for 15-16 years, and it’s still life changing.”
