The Boston Celtics break a historic tie to claim their 18th NBA title
In short: The 2024 NBA playoffs delivered historic milestones, from record-breaking comebacks to a changing of the guard. As the Boston Celtics secured their 18th championship, they finally surpassed the Los Angeles Lakers for the most titles in league history, ending a drought that began in 2008.
The postseason, which ran from April 20 to June 17, was defined by both dominance and dramatic shifts. The Boston Celtics entered the tournament with the league's longest active playoff streak, having qualified for ten consecutive seasons. Their dominance was reflected in the standings; they finished first in the Eastern Conference with a 14-game lead over the second-place team, a margin not seen in either conference since 1976. The Celtics also earned the Maurice Podoloff Trophy for securing the top seed. This achievement followed their tenth straight season of postseason qualification.
While the Celtics emerged victorious in the Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, other storylines emerged through statistical anomalies. The Oklahoma City Thunder made history by becoming the youngest team to earn a Western Conference 1-seed, boasting an average age of just 23.9 years. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves achieved a franchise milestone by recording their first best-of-seven series sweep in Minnesota men's professional sports history, defeating the Phoenix Suns. The Thunder also secured the top spot in the West for the first time since 2013. This success occurred alongside the Milwaukee Bucks entering their eighth straight playoffs.
The tournament also highlighted the evolution of the game's scoring and comeback potential. On April 28, the league saw four players—Devin Booker, Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, and Kyrie Irving—score 40 or more points on the same day. Additionally, the era of high-stakes volatility was on display as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves both set NBA records for the largest comebacks in a Game 7, with Minnesota overcoming a 20-point deficit to win. The Miami Heat set a new record by making 23 three-pointers during a road victory. Furthermore, Joel Embiid became the first player to score 50 points using fewer than 20 shots.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2024 NBA playoffs
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-2024-nba-playoffs.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Born on this day · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
