The Boston Celtics had fallen on hard times since their last NBA title in 1986. They lost in the Finals in 1987, the conference finals in 1988 and then fell off the face of the earth, with only a 2002 Eastern Conference Finals appearance to show for themselves. The 2008 Boston Celtics put the franchise back on the map, after big offseason moves and then a run to a championship.
No city has owned the sports world since the dawn of the 21st century the way Boston has. The Hub’s four pro sports franchises have combined to win seven championships, along with three more runner-ups. In an eight-year span from 2004-11, each of the Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics won one crown, the tightest such span in history—and by a lot. TheSportsNotebook pays tribute to this historic time by focusing first on 2004—the year the Patriots won their third Super Bowl in four years and the Red Sox won their first World Series title in 86. Then we’ll conclude with a briefer tribute to the 2008 Celtics and 2011 Bruins, as they completed the Championship Grand Slam.