Celtics history looms large ahead of NBA Finals: ‘You just dream about being part of that’

The Boston Celtics won 64 games this season. Combined with their 12-2 postseason record up to this point, they have gone 76-20. Now, they’re set to take on the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

But nobody cares.

“We only hang NBA championship banners, right? Seventeen of them,” Jayson Tatum said at NBA Finals Media Day.

And this year, the franchise has a chance to hang another, cementing themselves atop the league’s hierarchy of champions. From Bill Russell to Larry Bird to Paul Pierce, the organization’s legacy has been defined by nothing less than excellence.

“Some of the greatest players to ever play this game wore this uniform,” Tatum said. “All of us are honored to follow in their footsteps, the way they paved for us to live out our dream.”

Russell’s eleven titles set the standard, Bird’s 80s teams brought in three more, and Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen helped keep the Celtics’ NBA dominance alive in the 21st century.

Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

That history now hangs over the heads of the current roster, figuratively and literally.

The weight of playing in one of the league’s biggest markets with the highest threshold for success creates immense pressure. And every time the Celtics step onto the floor, the banners swinging in the rafters are a constant reminder of what they’re playing for.

“Yeah, I mean, you’re here, you see all the banners, all the history. It’s in our practice facility. You just dream about being part of that,” said Derrick White. “Obviously, the great history that the Celtics have, I think we all just embraced it and are thankful and grateful to be a part of this organization.”

Joe Mazzulla’s day-by-day approach has helped Boston remain focused. Dreaming of a title would only distract them from the tediousness of winning little battles on a game-to-game basis.

Kristaps Porzingis said as much during training camp prior to the season. “We all understand what our goal is, but we don’t want to only have that in our minds,” he said before the season began.

But now, the time has come.

“This is what it’s all about here in Boston,” White said. “This stage. This moment. We understand the challenges of it. We’re just looking forward to it. We’re going to have fun.

“There’s going to be ups, there’s going to be downs. We may lose, but we got to go out there and compete each and every night. Whatever it takes to get four wins.”

Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

The Celtics will continue to take things game by game. That’s the way they’ve won all season. It’s what works.

While staring a championship in the face brings added pressure, and the franchise’s history looms large, the Celtics are more focused on being part of greatness rather than living up to it.

“Not for me,” Jrue Holiday said when asked if the organization’s championship history adds pressure. “I would just like to add to it. I think to be a part of history would be cool, especially a history that the Celtics have and everything that comes with it.

“Again, I would say that I probably don’t take a bulk of the pressure because we have Jayson and Jaylen on our team. But to add to that is, I feel like, a part of the reason why I was brought here, part of [the] reason why I wanted to come.”

An entire city will be watching the Celtics compete on the biggest stage, fighting for four more wins — four more wins for immortality.

All that’s left to do is play the games.

“I think this is a special group. I really do,” said Jaylen Brown. “The core group of it has been here for a few years now. We’ve been able to go through the experiences of having success but not having success at the same time. I think to solidify the ultimate goal is to get over the hump and win. I think that will add a lot to our legacy.

“But as of right now, that story is kind of still untold.”