The Celtics last two championship wins came on the special date.
June 17 is a very special day in Boston Celtics history, as it's the date that the Celtics won each of their last two championships.
As noted by ESPN, the Celtics captured their 17th championship on June 17, 2008 and their 18th title on June 17, 2024.
The Celtics' 18 titles are the most in NBA history. Boston fell shy of winning No. 19 this past season after they were beaten in the first round of the playoffs by the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston held a 3-1 series lead in that series but ultimately dropped the last three games to get eliminated.
The 2008 title run
The Celtics went 66-16 that season, becoming the best defensive team in the NBA with Kevin Garnett inside the paint. Ironically though, the championship wasn't easy to win: Boston needed seven games to get past the Atlanta Hawks in the first round and then needed seven more to dispose of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round.
Boston got past the Detroit Pistons in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals and beat the Los Angeles Lakers in six games in the NBA Finals.
Through that playoff run, Boston beat Al Horford (Atlanta), LeBron James (Cleveland) and Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles).
Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (5) drives the ball against Miami Heat small forward Shane Battier (31) during the first half in game four of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2012 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. David Butler II-Imagn ImagesThe 2024 title run
The Celtics swung big in the offseason prior to this season, trading away Marcus Smart and bringing in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. With Joe Mazzulla in his second season as head coach, Boston went 64-18, earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. This finals run proved to be much easier than the previous one, with the Celtics knocking out the Miami Heat in five games in the first round and the Cavaliers in five games in the second. They swept through the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals before beating Luka Doncic and the Mavericks in five games in the NBA Finals.
Also in the news
On Wednesday, 'The Ringer' ranked Celtics forward Jayson Tatum as the No. 13 player in the NBA.
Speaking on Wednesday afternoon's edition of 'The Herd,' FOX Sports radio host Colin Cowherd said he had no problem with Tatum's ranking, citing several reasons why he thinks that Tatum is not the player that some people think that he is.
Cowherd called Tatum "really talented," but said "there are times he doesn't lead, he doesn't initiate, and way too often he doesn't close.'
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