Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown reflect after Celtics' banner celebration: 'Part of history'

BOSTON – The Celtics wrapped up their 2024 NBA championship on Tuesday night. collect their fancy new rings And Raise another banner from the rafters of the TD Garden.

Their focus now is on winning another title, which was evident throughout the team's playing time 132-109 win over the New York Knicks. But Tuesday night's pregame ceremony is what Boston stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been waiting for since they first put on a Celtics jersey, and the two certainly gave food for thought after their season-opening win.

Jayson Tatum said the Celtics' championship celebration was 'worth the wait'

Tatum is one of the most watched players in the NBA and winning a title has lifted a huge weight off the 26-year-old's shoulders. (The hate from the outside will, of course, continue to pour in.) He discussed the path he took to his first championship after dropping a game-high 37 points for Boston against the Knicks.

“It’s just something I’ve dreamed about for a very, very long time,” he said. “A moment I've been looking forward to since I arrived in the league. A moment that before we won, I was very, very close to winning a championship and didn't get there. So to finally get over that hump and finally be a part of an opening night ring ceremony, something I've seen every year since I was a kid, it was just a wild moment.

“I am part of it. I am a part of history and it was worth the wait,” Tatum added.

Getting his ring and raising the banner were obviously the highlights of the night, but Tatum also loved having Celtics legends in the house for the celebration. Bob Cousy, Cedric Maxwell, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were all part of the ceremony, which Tatum said was an incredibly symbolic moment.

“It was like coming full circle for them to come back and share that moment with us and pass the torch or whatever that symbolized,” Tatum said.

Tatum grew up a Lakers fan (no one is perfect) and remembers watching the Big Three beat his favorite team in 2008. But that doesn't mean he doesn't appreciate the last generation of Celtics champions.

“I’m still a fan of these guys. They are part of my childhood,” he said. “It was an incredible moment to get together with them. KG was screaming in my ear and I thought, 'I'm really talking to Kevin Garnett right now.' I never take these moments for granted.”

Jaylen Brown said the Celtics' championship ring is more than just an object

Always a deep thinker, Brown said the team's championship rings symbolized much more than just last year's title.

“This ring is just an object, right? But it's everything: the emotions, the heartache, the embarrassment, the work, the drive, the dedication,” Brown said after scoring 23 points against New York. “That’s what this ring represents. You feel all of that when you hold something up. For me, that’s what was going through my mind and it was an incredible feeling.”

Brown said he was honored to have his name etched in Celtics history along with his teammates.

“My first year, when I was drafted, I said this is what I would do: I would go to war for this city,” he said. “And it’s great to see that banner being raised.”

Al Horford's championship ring is too big

Al Horford finally has his first NBA championship ring after a 17-year wait. And the ring is too big for his finger.

Why? Because Horford measured his finger while it was still swollen from dislocating it during the playoffs. So his ring is massive in more ways than one.

“Honestly, I was just really surprised by the size of this ring. “Did you see the ring?” Horford said after Tuesday’s win. “I made it a lot bigger than it should be. That’s why I can’t even wear it right now because my finger is swollen and it’s just huge.”

Sounds like Horford either needs to make his finger bigger or go out and win another ring that he can size correctly.

Joe Mazzulla says he won't wear his Celtics championship ring

They knew Joe Mazzulla would say something about the rings. He's obviously a fan of the new jewelry, but criticizes that the bling is too big.

“I don’t know when I got the ring, I just think it’s too big,” Mazzulla said. “I don't know why it's so big and I'll never wear it. But it’s cool to have, I thought.”

Mazzulla was much more interested in talking about how his team played in the big win over the Knicks. Occasionally, the reigning champions get too excited during the pre-game ceremony and lose focus on the task at hand later in the evening. That wasn't the case for the Celtics, who led by as many as 35 points, nearly set a new NBA record for most 3-pointers made in a game and even played tough defense despite the lopsided score .

“I was proud of the way they responded from the ring ceremony to the game,” Mazzulla said. “Regardless, the result won’t matter once we wake up (Wednesday) morning. But the biggest thing I’m proud of is the attitude of the guys.”

“We are not stuck in the past,” Mazzulla added. “We managed to transition from where we were and get to where we want to go. This is a great start. That’s a credit to them.”