Celtics celebrate 18th NBA title with banner, rings and call from Tatum: 'Let's do it again.'
The Boston Celtics have raised Banner 18 to the rafters
BOSTON (AP) — After the Boston Celtics received their diamond-, emerald- and parquet-encrusted championship rings and before the franchise's 18th banner was raised to the rafters, Jayson Tatum grabbed a microphone to say a few words to the geeked-up crowd.
“Enjoy this moment together,” he told the fans who filled the TD Garden for the first meaningful Celtics game since their Game 5 victory over Dallas in the NBA Finals clinched an unprecedented 18th title. “Let’s do it again.”
"I planned something to say, but I got caught up in the moment,” Tatum said after the Celtics beat the New York Knicks 132-109. “I was overwhelmed, and the emotions got the best of me. I know we’re not supposed to talk about repeating. But the fans were just so excited, I said ‘(expletive) it. Let’s do it again.’”
The Celtics then gathered where so many of their predecessors had and raised the “2024 World Champions” banner to the crowded rafters. Minutes later, they took the floor for the season opener against the New York Knicks and left no doubts whether they were still motivated to become the first Celtics team to repeat since Bill Russell and John Havlicek won the franchise’s 11th title in 13 years in 1969.
