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Banner Year: How Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Brad Stevens Persevered to Lead the Boston Celtics to a Record-Breaking Title
As Banner 18 ascended to the TD Garden rafters in October 2024, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the Boston Celtics' reigning championship squad were in very good company. They were surrounded not only by a sell-out crowd of ardent supporters but by Celtics legends of previous eras, symbolizing the franchise's continued, unwavering commitment to greatness.
Cedric Maxwell was among the former players commemorating the achievement, and he was present as a broadcaster throughout the dominant journey to the NBA title; from the offseason shake-ups that dispatched Marcus Smart while welcoming Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, to the final buzzer against the Dallas Mavericks.
Banner Year is the definitive chronicle of the Celtics' 2023-2024 season and their quest for that long-elusive 18th championship. Through exclusive insights and firsthand accounts, Maxwell and Mike Isenberg offer a behind-the-scenes look at the dynamics that fueled the team's success, including keen observations on prominent figures such as Tatum, Brown, Al Horford, and coach Joe Mazzulla.
Boston fans will delight in this captivating account that captures the spirit of a franchise determined to rise once more.
Cedric Maxwell was among the former players commemorating the achievement, and he was present as a broadcaster throughout the dominant journey to the NBA title; from the offseason shake-ups that dispatched Marcus Smart while welcoming Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, to the final buzzer against the Dallas Mavericks.
Banner Year is the definitive chronicle of the Celtics' 2023-2024 season and their quest for that long-elusive 18th championship. Through exclusive insights and firsthand accounts, Maxwell and Mike Isenberg offer a behind-the-scenes look at the dynamics that fueled the team's success, including keen observations on prominent figures such as Tatum, Brown, Al Horford, and coach Joe Mazzulla.
Boston fans will delight in this captivating account that captures the spirit of a franchise determined to rise once more.
- GenresSports
256 pages, Paperback
Published April 8, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 3, 2026
I finally got around to reading this book about the magical 2024 Celtics and their run to Banner #18. Cedric Maxwell and Mike Isenberg spin a nice yarn, touching all the highs and lows and looking at all the controversies surrounding the team. I especially appreciated the last few chapters where Cedric Maxwell puts this team in historical context with the other championship teams of Celtics history. I personally think the 1980s teams may have won another championship if they had kept him around instead of trading him for Bill Walton who gave them an amazing year in 1986 and then had his career derailed by injury. But you never know and that’s why it’s so much fun to think about and debate. I recommend this for any Celtics fan.
September 7, 2025
Max. I know not everybody has access to Cedric Maxwell like we do in Boston, and for those who don't, I'm sorry. He's one of a kind, one of my all-time favorite athletes and sports commentators.
Every year there are numerous books like this one, retellings of the wonders we just witnessed as sports fans. Most mean nothing to most of the country. For those of us in celebration mode, they become chances to relive wondrous emotional highs.
So, yes, I'm a Celtics fan. The fun thing is, being 54, I'm a longtime Celtics fan, which plays well with Max's storytelling style (recognizing Mike Isenberg as the coauthor). As Max talks about the 2024 championship season, he reaches back to both the 2008 team but, more often, his early 1980s championship runs with the Celtics. It's an interesting way to analyze a team and its accomplishments. The 2024 Celtics probably had more in common with other championship squads from other years, but Max shares with us what he knows best. And it works.
His perspective, too, is from courtside, and the every day grind of the full season. He was there for just about every play, just about every shot. He knew the players as well as anybody. He gives us some inside scoop, some unexpected opinions, and plenty of Max-isms.
Thank you JT, JB, KP, Jrue, DWhite, PP, Sam, Brad and everyone else, for bringing a championship and pure joy to New England. But thank you, Max and Mike, for capturing this story forever.
Every year there are numerous books like this one, retellings of the wonders we just witnessed as sports fans. Most mean nothing to most of the country. For those of us in celebration mode, they become chances to relive wondrous emotional highs.
So, yes, I'm a Celtics fan. The fun thing is, being 54, I'm a longtime Celtics fan, which plays well with Max's storytelling style (recognizing Mike Isenberg as the coauthor). As Max talks about the 2024 championship season, he reaches back to both the 2008 team but, more often, his early 1980s championship runs with the Celtics. It's an interesting way to analyze a team and its accomplishments. The 2024 Celtics probably had more in common with other championship squads from other years, but Max shares with us what he knows best. And it works.
His perspective, too, is from courtside, and the every day grind of the full season. He was there for just about every play, just about every shot. He knew the players as well as anybody. He gives us some inside scoop, some unexpected opinions, and plenty of Max-isms.
Thank you JT, JB, KP, Jrue, DWhite, PP, Sam, Brad and everyone else, for bringing a championship and pure joy to New England. But thank you, Max and Mike, for capturing this story forever.
April 30, 2025
If you’re a Celtics fan looking for a nice trip down memory lane with the 2023-2024 champion Boston Celtics, this book will suffice. Maxwell and Isenberg talk about what it took to deal with assembling this team back from the breakup of the old big three (Pierce, Garnett, and Allen) to the present day roster. Each chapter doesn’t dwell too long on details and gives you enough of an overview to keep the book moving along.
The pro’s? It’s a very quick read, and in some cases, Maxwell provides some nice opinions on everything Celtics-related to this time period.
The con’s? Once again, as was the case with the last Maxwell book I read, there are grammatical errors scattered throughout the book. Does anyone proofread his books before they go out to be published because once again, it takes away from the read. Also, if you’re a die-hard Celtics fan, there is nothing new here. Most of the stories and events from this book can be retraced to podcasts (JJ Reddick’s and Draymond Green’s), as well as NBC Sports Boston footage of any interview from the 2023-2024 season.
If I had a bit more insight from Maxwell with his opinions on the team, I would have been happier; but with that said, it is a nice recap of the season and everything the Celtics went through to win the title. If you’re looking for anything more than that, you won’t be getting it in this book.
The pro’s? It’s a very quick read, and in some cases, Maxwell provides some nice opinions on everything Celtics-related to this time period.
The con’s? Once again, as was the case with the last Maxwell book I read, there are grammatical errors scattered throughout the book. Does anyone proofread his books before they go out to be published because once again, it takes away from the read. Also, if you’re a die-hard Celtics fan, there is nothing new here. Most of the stories and events from this book can be retraced to podcasts (JJ Reddick’s and Draymond Green’s), as well as NBC Sports Boston footage of any interview from the 2023-2024 season.
If I had a bit more insight from Maxwell with his opinions on the team, I would have been happier; but with that said, it is a nice recap of the season and everything the Celtics went through to win the title. If you’re looking for anything more than that, you won’t be getting it in this book.
November 5, 2025
The 2024 Celtics are one of the greatest teams in NBA history
August 31, 2026
18 banners = 18 championships.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews