“We just picked up where we left off”: The Celtics have no problems turning the tide on their top night

Well, it took about six minutes on Tuesday for the Celtics to prove to those worried about a hangover that their championship excitement was long gone, in the Dominican Republic, at Payton Pritchard's wedding, in the new Bush- Stadium in St. Louis, walked at Michael Rubin's White Party, walked at the victory parade and walked at the numerous locations the Lawrence O'Brien Trophy traveled to this summer.

The summer is over, the sunny weather, the sighs of relief after a 16-year drought, the champagne-soaked carpets in the TD Garden locker room have been replaced by the desire to repeat the great achievement and prove that the Celtics ” The championship run in 2024 was not a coincidence, nor was it the result of a streak of good luck caused by injuries to opposing teams.

After receiving their championship rings in the presence of the great Bob Cousy, the Celtics wanted to show a national audience that they are indeed a team that wants to repeat as champions with their fast-paced, 3-point-obsessed style had developed, once again striking through the NBA in one of the best offenses in league history.

The ball moved. The offensive was flowing. Jayson Tatum shot the ball without this annoying mishap. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday shot three-pointers without a defender in sight. The New York Knicks came to TD Garden, forced their way into their locker room during the Celtics' ring ceremony, and were then promptly verbally abused.

While the highlight of the evening was a special appearance by Bob Cousy and the Celtics players, who received rings the size of Rhode Island, the end result was a brilliant offensive performance and a 132-109 victory over their main rivals in the Eastern Conference.

They embarrassed the Knicks by setting an NBA record with 29 3-pointers and then had 8 minutes and 54 seconds to break the mark, but missed their final 13 three-pointers (see image). But the statement had already been made. The Celtics are primed to defend their title, and the Knicks aren't even in their stratosphere yet.

“Offensively, we just picked up where we left off,” Tatum said. “We brought everyone back. We played to our strengths. We know what we want to do. We know who we want to attack. We know which sets and actions we need to get into and are constantly working on it. We have some super talented people. We always try to make the right play and hit a great shot.”

The Celtics bombarded the Knicks with 3-pointers and it was nice to see because they were all in rhythm. The Celtics played as if Game 5 of the NBA Finals was four days ago, not four months ago. Their familiarity and chemistry overwhelmed a team with several new characters playing together for the first time in a meaningful game.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about this performance was that it was the result of an emotional ceremony. Cousy, 96, was rolled to the floor by Celtics public relations expert Jeff Twiss and waved with both hands at a crowd, many of whom had only seen him in grainy videos in short shorts when he was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks or the Philadelphia Warriors dribbled to seal a win.

Cousy, who lives in Worcester, had not been to the Garden in perhaps a decade. His presence was a surprise to many, but it shows how seriously the Celtics take these ring ceremonies.

“He’s like one of the original Celtic NBA legends,” Tatum said of Cousy. “I have to shake his hand. He said a few nice words to me. I mean, he's a legend, came out in a wheelchair, put on his deuces and everyone went crazy and that really caused a riot. I got to meet Bob Cousy and take a photo with him. This is something that will last forever, I hope.”

And yet, just moments after such a moving celebration, the Celtics were able to play a flawless game. They were able to overcome the emotions or turn them into motivation because the Knicks wanted to make a statement. They spent their offseason improving their roster by adding Mikal Bridges, re-signing OG Anunoby to a $212 million contract and trading for Karl-Anthony Towns a few weeks ago with the express goal of closing the field expand and give the Celtics another defensive line.

Still, none of it worked. Tatum made eight 3-pointers. Jaylen Brown and White combined for 47 points on 11 3-pointers. Cities didn't play a role. Anunoby made a basket and Bridges scored most of his 16 points in garbage time. They were simply scapegoats on a night meant for the reigning NBA champions. And the Celtics made sure they were focused, motivated and, frankly, great.

“I was proud of the way they responded from the ring ceremony to the game,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Regardless, the result won’t matter when we wake up tomorrow morning. But the biggest thing I’m proud of is the mindset of the guys. We weren't stuck in the past. We were able to move on to what got us to where we were, to where we are trying to get to. It's a great start. It’s a credit to them.”

It's one of 82, but it was certainly impressive. And it's a sign of how cohesive and efficient the Celtics already are.

Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.