Emotional Celtics radio call of NBA title victory will give you chills

A blizzard of green and white confetti floated down onto the parquet at TD Garden and covered Lucky the Leprechaun like a warm blanket. Under the comfort of confetti, he was finally free from the trauma caused by Kyrie Irving's scuff marks.

Under the raining confetti, the Boston Celtics became drunk with elation, induced in equal parts by joy and relief.

Celtics forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have endured heartbreak together for the past seven years. Under their guidance, the Celtics lost in the finals once, the conference finals three times, the conference semifinals once, and the first round once.

But Boston's faith in their two-way wings never wavered. Each year, the Celtics moved pieces to renovate and reconstruct a roster around their two stars. Finally, they found the winning recipe. In the 2023-24 NBA season, the juggernaut Celtics cemented their place as one of the greatest teams in NBA history.

Boston deposed of their opponents en route to a 64-18 record and an 11.3-point differential, fifth-best in NBA history. They began the NBA Playoffs with a quick revenge series against the Miami Heat, then flew by the Cleveland Cavaliers. In three games of the Eastern Conference finals, the Indiana Pacers had a win probability of over 90 percent. Yet, Boston still swept the Pacers out of the way.

Boston's best work may have come in the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. Boston choked the Mavericks' layups, lobs, and kick-out threes, then spread five-out and used a drive-and-kick game to hit Dallas with flurries of 3-point shots.

Celtics radio broadcasts capture the final seconds of the 2024 NBA Finals

As the clock trickled down to a full stop in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, radio broadcasters Sean Grande captured the emotions of the closing moments on98.5 The Sports Hub, the team's flagship radio station.

"The ‘24 Boston Celtics are one of the greatest teams in NBA history. They were told they had to win. There’s only one thing you can do when expectations are that high: meet them. And there’s only one way to stop being haunted by the ghosts and the legends of the champions atop this building: join them. Together, they have. And together they stand alone on top of the mountain for now. And once again, the Boston Celtics stand alone for all time. It is banner [No.] 18. The mission demanded is mission accomplished."

Boston buried the Mavericks with a 106-88 victory in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The series-clinching game epitomized Boston's 18th championship team. The dynamic backcourt tandem of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White suffocated the Mavericks offense while adding on a combined 29 points and 19 rebounds. Tatum tied his Finals career high with 31 points and dished out 11 assists. Brown added 21 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Al Horford earned the first championship of his 17-year career after 186 playoff games. Kristaps Porzingis, plagued by injuries during the postseason, became the first Latvian player to win an NBA title. Payton Pritchard even entered the game to hit another signature half-court buzzer beater.

“Confetti guns shooting green and white confetti, and may be the most beautiful blizzard you have ever seen rain down on a crowded court at TD Garden," Grande continued. "The final score, Boston, 106, Dallas, 88. The Boston Celtics are world champions for the 18th time.” 

After years of heartbreak, the Celtics became the ninth team in the modern playoff era format to win a championship with three or fewer playoff losses.

Long after the game ended, Jaylen Brown returned to TD Garden, where team staff and media members were playing basketball on a confetti-covered court, and repeatedly uttered, "What a beautiful sight."

After celebrating their 18th championship banner, the Celtics will turn their focus toward No. 19.