Celtics Ring Ceremony and 17th Banner

Big Three Reflects on Their Title

Justin Timberlake dancing with 'Celtics' (Photos)

At the ESPY Award Night, Justin Timberlake hosts and performs with muppets Garnett and Allen.

On a more serious note, the Boston Celtics have won the Team Award.

SI Cover: "The Once and Future Celtics"

The Road to Triumph - Boston Franchise (The Third Act)

(Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images)

Witnessing Celtics' 17th championship is bitter-sweet, whether you are Boston fan or not.

The triumph marks the end to their 22 years of wilderness and setting whole list of new NBA benchmarks, but more significantly, it demonstrates a group of people with good hearts making it through perseverance, commitment and integrity.

Everyone by now knows Paul Pierce as a player. But as a person, he personifies someone who is willing to face and grow from his untidy history, instead of turning away from it and starting over.

Kevin Garnett personifies a gifted individual, who is willing to carry the responsibility that comes with it. It means sticking to it through tough time and surrounded by public criticism.

Ray Allen personifies role model of the team, the franchise and the community, who serves that role with discipline and commitment.

But we are not just talking about the players.

Doc Rivers is someone who possesses consistent work ethics - day after day even when his team is lousy, and with accountability - even if losing his job. He treats all his players with respect and they, including the bench, are willing to play hard.

Danny Ainge resembles a family-oriented guy both privately and professionally. He serves his Celtics' root with persistence and patient. Ainge understands that it takes time to assemble a team with the right attitude for the game. He values individual heart, genuineness and work ethics.

Wyc Grousbeck, the co-owner of Celtics, resembles a businessman with good heart and perspective in life. He interacts with the community, building working relationship and getting advice from other owners of the Red Sox and Patriots. These owners who are visible and accountable, have vowed to spend the requisite amount of money to field winning teams. Team A and Team B are always pulling for Team C, and joining hand in community fund-raising. The revival of these franchises mirros what's happening to Boston as a whole.

(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Their triumph is truely a powerful testimony to other player and management in the league, in which team-success is far more gratifying than 'me-first' or financial fulfillment. And community involvement will serve well in the business world.

NBA Finals (Game 6) Highlight

After the game, Kevin Garnett hugged Bill Russell and said, "I got my own now." Garnett is responding to their early conversation, in which Russell predicting a championship ring.

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

(Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Celtics wins their 17th championship, playing their best game to finish the season. For almost eight months, they have demonstrated consistent defence as a unit and alone the way, they overcome numerous adversity.

Watch NBA TV game highlight (highlight1, highlight2) and post-game press (Rivers, Pierce, Allen & Rondo).

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(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Ray Allen rebounds after he's been poked in eye in first-half, when he was already playing with the weight of a family crisis on his shoulders, hitting seven triples and 26 points in total. Both Garnett and Rondo are determined to rebound from their sub-par performance last game right from the start. Garnett records 26 points and 14 rebounds. Rondo records 21 points, 8 assists and 6 steals.

Pierce looks really tired, but still makes up with 17 points and 10 assists. For a moment I worry that he has nothing left in him, thanks God his teammates have taken the load off him.

NBA Finals (Game 5) Highlight, After-thought

The Lakers adds aggressiveness to their game ... bringing to the basket and scoring down low. In the first-half they come out firing and play with desperation. But in the second, their play are more conservative and scrappy at times. Pau Gasol is in attacking mode throughout. He and Lamar Odom plays mostly under the basket.

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE/Getty Images)

(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Watch NBA TV game highlight (highlight1, highlight2) and post-game press (Rivers, Pierce, Garnett).

With Kendrick Perkins out and Kevin Garnett in early foul trouble, the Celtics has lost their edge in the paint. Towards the end of fourth quarter, Garnett, PJ Brown and Pierce are playing with 5 fouls. But the C's is still in the game with one minute left, partly help by the scrappy defence by the Lakers.

With Rondo mostly on the bench, Lakers takes advantage of the lack of quickness in the PG position, repeatly attacking before the C's can setup their defence.

Pierce, who has played the whole game, has 38 points and 8 assists.

While it's now obvious that Celtics is the better team in this series, their window of winning it is actually closing gradually with their physical condition. For Perkins, even if he could play the next game, it will be tough for him to be effective with his strain shoulder which is the same one being operated previously. Rondo's bruise ankle has already taken away his aggressiveness since. The biggest fear is Pierce and his bum knee and twisted ankle. He will be irreplacable if he goes down.