The Boston Celtics received their NBA Championship rings ahead of their Opening Night matchup with the rival New York Knicks. The ceremony began with a heartfelt message from Jayson Tatum, who put together a legacy performance in the 2023-24 NBA Finals with 22.2 points over five games. The leader of the Celtics basked in the moment on Tuesday night.

Tatum, along with his son Deuce, embraced each other as they glanced at the fine piece of NBA jewelry.

It may not be the last time that these two ballers share a spotlight of this magnitude, as the Celtics remain atop the league. But Tatum has been working for this since the franchise drafted him with the No. 3 overall pick in 2017. Tatum enters his eighth campaign with five All-Star selections, and could very well be on his way to his first MVP season if the Celtics can topple the Eastern Conference once again.

Celtics' lofty expectations in the 2024-25 NBA campaign

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While it's difficult for any NBA champion in history to outshine the success of their previous season, Tatum and this Celtics squad are currently ahead of their competition. Spearheaded by Tatum, the roster is loaded with dynamic playmakers and role players that can sustain the excellence through the course of an 82-game stretch.

Jaylen Brown continues to be the ideal partner in crime for Boston's starting unit, while Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford bring invaluable cohesiveness from last year. Head coach Joe Mazzulla has built a formidable rotation, and teams are going to find it difficult outshooting the Celtics on a given night.

The Celtics kicked things off on a high note as they received their recognition for being world champs. They defeated the Knicks on Tuesday 132-109, as they embark on another serious run for a title in the competitive Eastern Conference. Tatum led Boston to a 1-0 start with 37 points on 14-of-18 shooting, while hitting eight threes.