Titletown: Ranking Boston’s Championship Teams Since 2001
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2007-08 Boston Celtics
This Celtics team absolutely dominated the regular season, bulldozing the rest of the league on their way to a 29-3 start. They finished with 66 wins, third most in franchise history, and seven more than than their closest competition. Kevin Garnett, in his first year with the team, led a ferocious defense that held opponents to 90.3 points per game. He won Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts and also made First Team All-NBA.
Things got trickier for Boston in the playoffs. The 8th seed Atlanta Hawks forced a seven game series in the first round and the Cleveland Cavaliers did the same in the second. Game seven against the Cavs proved to be epic, with Paul Pierce and LeBron James engaging in a shootout from start to finish. James finished with 45 points, Pierce right behind him with 41, and the Celtics won the game 97-92 to advance to the Conference Finals. Despite being pushed to the limit in two straight series, they improved to 8-0 at home, building on a 35-6 regular season record at TD Garden.
In the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals the Celtics faced the next two best teams in the league in terms of record, the 59-win Detroit Pistons and the 57-win Los Angeles Lakers. They took care of both in six games. Playing in front of the Boston crowd in game six of the Finals, the Celtics dismantled L.A. 131-92, bringing the team its first championship in 22 years and 17th banner overall.
Next: No. 1 - Let's Talk Dynasty