Now that we've finally recovered from the late nights watching the Celtics win their 17th NBA title, it's time to salute not only Boston's latest champions but how they did it.

There's no doubt that the latest banner that will be raised to the roof of the Garden was achieved by acquiring two stars, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, while retaining the services of captain Paul Pierce. They were the heart of a team that went 66-16 during the regular season before vanquishing the Atlanta Hawks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Detroit Pistons and, finally, the rival Los Angeles Lakers to earn the crown.

But what was clear from the start was that each one of the Big Three understood that the way to success meant taking a team-first approach. The scoring averages of all three declined this year while basketball aficionados observed how much harder offensive-minded players like Pierce and Allen worked on defense.

And Garnett, Pierce and Allen were far from the whole story. Youngsters such as Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins contributed energy and passion. Cagey veterans such as James Posey, Eddie House and P.J. Brown tempered that with smart play and calm execution in pressure situations.

In truth, the contributions of players like Rondo and Posey were just as important to the Celtics' success as those of Garnett and Pierce. Take away any one, and it may have been Los Angeles celebrating, and not Boston. The Celtics began their championship run in 1957. Over 29 years, they captured 16 titles. In that stretch, Boston never went more than five years without being home to the best team in basketball. Each championship team was characterized by a team-first attitude.

It's been a different story over the last 22 years. During much of that time, the Celtics were more often than not a mediocre or even bad team. They were irrelevant in the minds of most fans. This includes fans from the Attleboro area, who traditionally have leaned toward basketball over hockey as their preferred winter sport.

At the same time, the NBA changed as the league intentionally promoted individual stars, such as Michael Jordan, over teams, like the Celtics. An entire generation of New England sports fans grew up thinking that the Celtics weren't any good simply because they didn't have enough stars.

So while the acquisitions of Garnett and Allen were key, the real reason that the Celtics will be collecting championship rings is that the stars made their individual success subservient to the team goal of winning a championship - just as Boston did in its glory days.

That's a lesson that can be carried over into the real world, and it should not be lost on the new generation of fans enthralled with Boston's latest champions.