Blockbuster NBA Trade Sets High Bar for Celtics Derrick White Price originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Coincidentally, the Celtics won both their 17th and 18th championships on their home court, on the date June 17th. Jaylen Brown took home NBA Finals MVP, and he and Jayson Tatum finally ended a 16-year drought of no titles for the Celtics.

The Boston Celtics were dealt two brutal blows in their second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks. Not only did they lose the series and were eliminated from the playoffs, but they also saw superstar forward Jayson Tatum go down with a torn Achilles.

The Thunder are up, 3-2, against the Indiana Pacers after back-to-back wins. Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander combined for 71 points in a Game 5 win on Monday night. The Thunder are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012 after eliminating the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games in the Western Conference finals.

While Brown may hit higher heights than White, he also makes nearly twice what White does per year -- and has a better injury history as well.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots against Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) during the second half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips) AP

A playoff opponent addressed it's biggest weakness. Multiple pick changed hands. Here's how the Desmond Bane trade affects the Celtics.

2008 — The Boston Celtics win their 17th NBA title with a stunning 131-92 blowout over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6. Kevin Garnett scores 26 points with 14 rebounds, Ray Allen scores 26 and Paul Pierce, the finals MVP, adds 17.