For exactly 28 years-spanning December 30, 1980 to December 30, 2008-there was never a day on which two NBA teams with winning percentages of at least .800 through at least 30 games of the season both lost. It's now happened twice in the past six days as the Celtics and Cavaliers both lost last Tuesday and again on Sunday.
Updated: January 4, 2009
returned to glory like the great teams before them.
Dominant in every way. On a new parquet floor below aging championship banners hung in the rafters two decades back, the Celtics won their 17th NBA title and a first one -- at last -- for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen -- their Big Three for a new generation. After 22 long years, the NBA has gone green.| Team Stat Comparison: GAME 6 | ||
| LOS ANGELES | BOSTON | |
| Points | 92 | 131 |
| FG Made-Attempted | 27-64 (.422) | 43-87 (.494) |
| 3P Made-Attempted | 10-27 (.370) | 13-26 (.500) |
| FT Made-Attempted | 28-38 (.737) | 32-37 (.865) |
| Rebounds (Offensive-Total) | 2-29 | 14-48 |
| Assists | 16 | 33 |
| Turnovers | 19 | 7 |
| Steals | 4 | 18 |
| Blocks | 0 | 4 |
| Fast Break Points | 2 | 16 |
| Fouls (Tech/Flagrant) | 25 (0/1) | 25 (0/0) |
| Largest Lead | 4 | 43 |
| Top Performers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| LOS ANGELES | BOSTON | ||
 | L. Odom Points: 14 Reb: 10 Ast: 5 Stl: 0 Blk: 0 |  | K. Garnett Points: 26 Reb: 14 Ast: 4 Stl: 3 Blk: 1 |
| Game Leaders | ||
| LOS ANGELES | BOSTON | |
| Points | K. Bryant 22 | R. Allen 26 |
| Rebounds | L. Odom 10 | K. Garnett 14 |
| Assists | L. Odom 5 | P. Pierce 10 |
| Steals | L. Walton 1 | R. Rondo 6 |
| Blocks | L. Walton 0 | K. Garnett 1 |
| · Team stats: Los Angeles Boston | ||
... and have been as consistent as:
