At the beginning of the 2023-24 National Basketball Association (NBA) season, there were a few teams who were considered to be “true contenders”. Out west there were a handful of teams to reach this tier. However, in the eastern conference the list was much shorter. No team appeared at the top of that list more than the Boston Celtics.

As it turns out, those predictions were correct as the Boston Celtics capped off their 18th NBA championship win with a dominating 106-88 win over the Dallas Mavericks, sealing a 4-1 series win. The series ended with the average margin of victory across the five games being a whopping 17.6 points.

Going into the season, the Celtics had already appeared in five of the last seven eastern conference finals meaning they have established a deep playoff pedigree. Led by an excellent front office and coaching staff, the Celtics have established themselves as one of the premier teams throughout the association.

Led by the tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics dominated the regular season posting a record of 64-18, placing themselves 14 games ahead of their nearest eastern conference running mate. They continued this to wreak havoc in the playoffs posting a postseason record of 16-3. Of course, this team needed more than just Brown and Tatum to win. The Celtics accumulated some of the best talent the league has to offer with other key signings/trades such as Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White just to name a few.

With outstanding performances from various players on the team, as well as having top-tier players lining up across them in Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, the Finals MVP was always going to be a tough pick. After games one and two, it was projected that Jrue Holiday could be the recipient of the award, with Brown and Tatum close behind. As the series progressed however, Brown continued to exceed expectations and lead the team in clutch moments. For his efforts, Jaylen Brown was awarded the 2024 Finals MVP award, cementing the Celtics trust in their top two developed players as a certified success.

As for the runners-up, the Dallas Mavericks turned out a great season, despite the devastating loss in the Finals. The Mavs posted a record of 50-32 which was enough to secure the 5th seed in the western conference. In the playoffs, they defeated three 50-win teams, dispatching of the Los Angeles Clippers, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Led by the pair of Dončić and Irving, the Mavericks will look to return to the Finals next year but will have an uphill battle at the west will only continue to get stronger.

As the Celtics plan a parade on the Duck Boats past the Boston Common, the rest of the league is planning for next season. Teams who fell to a multitude of injuries such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies will all attempt to push towards the upper echelon of the league. Other teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans and the Orlando Magic will look to build upon promising seasons as well.

Unfortunately for the league and fortunately for Boston and its fans, most of this championship winning team will return next season. The only players not currently signed to the team or at least having options for the 2024-25 season are Luke Kornet, Svi Mykhailiuk and Xavier Tillman Sr, according to Basketball Reference. It seems the Celtics are poised to make another run to the Finals and potentially plan another parade this same time next year. For now, we bid farewell and reminisce on the ups and downs of the 2023-24 season while also turning the focus to the NBA draft coming up on June 26-27.