Celtics’ undeniable domination could be a poetic dynasty in the making

There was something satisfactory and familiar in the way these Celtics won their first championship Monday night. Their team was built through the draft, the old-fashioned way, then learned through failures in a climb that was mostly linear.

They were Michael Jordan before finally overcoming the Detroit Bad Boys. Or LeBron James hoisting the NBA Finals MVP after his playoff disappointments.

These Celtics, namely the two Jays, Tatum and Brown, always seemed capable of the dominance they exhibited during their 2024 championship run, which culminated with Game 5’s 106-88 steamroll over the Mavericks.

But they had to show it first. And after they finally overcame their playoff ghosts Monday — with Tatum shedding his choker label by dropping 31 points in the closeout game — we have to wonder: Is this the start of a dynasty? The same question was posed last year of the Nuggets, who went from champions to a second-round flameout because repeating is much easier on paper. The NBA, with six different champions in the last six years, is deeper than ever and is operating with a collective bargaining agreement that encourages parity.

But Boston’s lasting power is easy to envision with Tatum and Brown still in their mid-20s. They had nothing close to equals in the East this year. You could argue the Knicks represent their stiffest competition in the conference, and not even the most optimistic NYK supporter watched the 2024 Finals and reasonably deduced, “My team could beat Boston if it were just healthy.” Nope, a seismic move is still necessary for the Knicks. So maybe Giannis Antetokounmpo, or somebody in that ballpark, jars loose.

In the meantime, the championship goes through Boston — where Kristaps Porzingis and Jeff Van Gundy, familiar faces to Knicks fans, secured their first titles Monday.