Which Boston Celtics players have won NBA Finals MVP? Listing their Bill Russell award winners from John Havlicek to Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown and Larry Bird won NBA Finals MVPJaylen Brown and Larry Bird won NBA Finals MVP

Jaylen Brown became the latest Boston Celtics player to win the NBA Finals MVP award. Brown secured the much-desired Bill Russell award after the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 in Game 5 at the TD Garden on Monday and won the NBA Finals 4-1.

The three-time All-Star Brown became only the sixth Boston Celtics player to stake claim to the Bill Russell Finals MVP award.

“It was a full team effort. I share this with my brothers and my partner in crime, Jayson Tatum. He was with me the whole way. I’ve been grateful for every moment, every opportunity. I never hung my head,” said Brown after receiving the award.

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The Celtics have secured the NBA championship 18 times, but only six players have received the Bill Russell Finals MVP award. This is primarily because the award was introduced in 1969, and most of the Celtics’ 18 titles were won before its inception.

John Havlicek was the first Celtics player to receive the Finals MVP award, while Brown has become the latest.

Let’s take a closer look at the list of Boston Celtics players who have won the NBA Finals MVP award.

List of Boston Celtics players to win NBA Finals MVP award

John Havlicek

John Havlicek won the Finals MVP award in the 1973–74 season after the Boston Celtics defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games. Havlicek averaged 26.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists in the series.

Jo Jo White

Jo Jo White won the Finals MVP award in the 1975–76 season after the Boston Celtics defeated the Phoenix Suns in six games. White averaged 21.7 points, 5.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds in the series.

Cedric Maxwell

Cedric Maxwell won the Finals MVP award in the 1980–81 season after the Boston Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets in six games. Maxwell averaged 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in the series.

Larry Bird

Larry Bird won the Finals MVP award in the 1983–84 season after the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Bird averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds and 3.6 assists in the series.

Larry Bird

Larry Bird again won the Finals MVP award in the 1985–86 season after the Boston Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets in six games. Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists in that series.

Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce won the Finals MVP award in 2007–08 after the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. Pierce averaged 21.8 points, 6.3 assists and 4.5 in the series.

Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown is the latest entrant to this elite list after he secured the Finals MVP award with Celtics’ triumph over the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Brown averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists in the series.

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