Each younger stars appeared to sense the urgency. The Celtics had been affected person with them, at the same time as followers and media had not. However ultimately, they each knew that persistence would wane. Brown picked up the cellphone and steered they work out collectively. “We’d by no means actually been within the fitness center [during the summer] collectively,” Tatum instructed ESPN. “Possibly socially, however this was actually simply displaying the maturation of us each, and simply rising up.” Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell helped prepare the exercises. Tatum’s coach, Drew Hanlen, ran them. Celtics nice Paul Pierce lifted weights with them and sat within the stands at Harvard Westlake Excessive College in Studio Metropolis, California, as the 2 pushed one another and cemented a bond that carried by way of one of the dominant seasons in NBA historical past — one which ended Monday evening with the franchise’s 18th NBA title with a 106-88 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Recreation 5 of the NBA Finals. -via ESPN / June 18, 2024