"We've accepted the challenge," said veteran guard Ray Allen. ". . . We talk about the other teams that have won championships back-to-back and we talk about how hard it is. But we also talk about how we want to be one of them."

Boston took the first step toward a repeat last year, when it defeated the Lakers in six games for its first championship since 1986.

This season, the Celtics might be even better.

Led by the Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Allen, Boston owns an Eastern Conference-leading record of 44-11.

Heading into Thursday's contest against the Jazz at Energy Solutions Arena, the Celtics have won 15 of their last 17 games, with the only losses coming against the two best teams in the Western Conference, the Lakers and Spurs.

Night after night through 3-1/2 grueling months, Boston has taken its opponents' best shot and usually prevailed.

"The [opposing] coach gives that rah-rah in the locker room and that first quarter is always hard on us because that [other] team always comes out with so much gas," Allen said. "We always have to make sure we take those punches and then deliver some back."

Said Pierce: "I just think the hunger is still there. The guys are still motivated to try and get it done. What happened last year, we've put behind us and we're focused on a new goal and that's winning a championship."

After years of futility, the Celtics became title contenders just before the start of the 2007-08 season, when they acquired Garnett from Minnesota and Allen from Seattle.

With Pierce already on board, Boston looked like a championship-caliber team months before it proved to be one.

Now, the Celtics are trying to make some NBA history and Allen, for one, is enjoying the ride after spending his first 11 seasons with non-contenders in Milwaukee and Seattle.

"I enjoyed the cities; I had good teammates," he said. "But we didn't win -- at least nothing great. And when you haven't won before, I mean, I just really appreciate what what's going on now."

According to Allen, owning a championship ring has improved his already-polished legacy in the NBA.

"It does take you over the hump." he said. ". . . That discussion still takes place with Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing and some other guys . . .

"It's one thing that people always talk about and [winning a championship] definitely takes you to the next level when they start comparing you to other players."

What would winning back-to-back title do for his reputation?

Allen shakes his head and says, "You can't claim to know it all. You can't think that things are always going to go in your favor. The game can be humbling. The game always has a way of telling you that you're not quite good enough."

Of course, these Celtics have been pretty good at humbling opponents, too.

"I give them a lot of credit," ex-Laker star Magic Johnson told the Boston Herald. "They've come back with an even greater mind-set for trying to [win] it again."