BOSTON — When the Boston Celtics built a new practice facility, they surrounded the court with their 16 NBA championship banners and left a space for No. 17.
The message was a bit too subtle for Doc Rivers.
The Celtics coach turned a spotlight on the empty spot on the wall at the beginning of this season so there would be no doubt about the team’s goal.
“They can turn that thing off now,” guard Ray Allen said early Wednesday morning, his left eye still red from the first-half face-raking and the postgame champagne spraying that accompanied Boston’s title-clinching, 131-92 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Allen returned to the floor after getting poked in the eye and scored 26 points, including an NBA record-tying seven 3-pointers, Kevin Garnett had 26 points with 14 rebounds and Finals MVP Paul Pierce scored 17 with 10 assists Tuesday as the Celtics smoked the Lakers like one of Red Auerbach’s legendary victory cigars.
A year after winning just 24 games, then drawing bad luck in the draft lottery, the Celtics completed the most dramatic turnaround in NBA history with a Game 6 blowout that was equally impressive.
It was the 17th title for the league’s most-decorated franchise, but it was the first for Pierce, Garnett and Allen; for Rivers, after nine full seasons as a coach and 13 as a player; and for the owners who named their group Banner 17 when they took over in 2002 and now have to consider whether they set their sights too low.
“If I changed it I would change it to Banner 20 to set the right tone,” owner Wyc Grousbeck said.
Parade set for today.
Boston Mayor Tom Menino announced plans for a “rolling rally” at 9 a.m. today to celebrate the Celtics’ NBA title. The parade will start at the TD Bank-north Garden and wind its way through downtown to Copley Square.
• Boston’s deciding Game 6 win Tuesday earned a 10.7 rating on ABC, the network said.
It’s the highest since Game 6 of the 2000 Finals on NBC between the Lakers and Indiana Pacers.
