Top 10 moments from the Boston Celtics' 2024 championship run

4) Jaylen Brown sinks the biggest shot of the Finals

In a Game 3 rollercoaster in Dallas, the Celtics gave up a 21-point lead. Cool as a cucumber, Brown weathered the storm with the biggest shot of the NBA Finals: A contested midrange jumper that put Boston up 102-98 with one minute to go.

This game-winner played a large role in Brown’s eventual Finals MVP, and it came in the only game of the series where the result truly felt in question during the final stretch. As they did in the ECF, the Celtics held on in a close matchup to take an insurmountable 3-0 series lead.

Brown and Tatum did what superstars do, leading the way with 61 combined points. Brown scored 30 to go with eight boards and eight dimes. JB notched 24 of his 30 points in the second half, going 10/16 from the field through the last two quarters. Brown’s second-half surge saw him go 8/10 on 2-pointers, and he led the Celtics in plus-minus that half with a +15 mark in almost 23 minutes. 

Despite his primetime display on the biggest stage in basketball, Brown was not invited to Team USA at this summer’s Paris Olympics. The controversial snub made headlines, and Brown wasn’t shy about his disappointment in the decision.

From his criticism of Nike on social media to the proverbial shots he fired on his first-ever rap song with Ferg, JB has made it clear he felt disrespected this summer. He even responded to a comment on an Instagram post with a message to the rest of the league: “I want blood.”

Brown will look to shut down any remaining doubters heading into the fall. Between Brown’s absence from Team USA and Tatum’s shockingly minimized role on the squad, Boston’s superstar duo could enter next season with a serious chip on its shoulder. Team USA may have awoken an even scarier version of Boston’s two-headed beast.