Police arrest 23 people after Celtics win

BOSTON (Reuters) - Boston police arrested 23 people early on Wednesday after celebrations of the Boston Celtics' first championship win in 22 years briefly turned violent with some fans smashing windows and assaulting police.

Hundreds of supporters spilled into the streets outside Boston's TD Banknorth Garden after the Celtics won their 17th National Basketball Association championship by beating the Los Angeles Lakers, 131-92, Tuesday.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, police said most of the arrests were for disorderly conduct. At least two people were charged with assault and battery of police officers, and two were arrested for destroying property after several storefront windows were smashed.

The win marked a revival of the once-storied Celtics franchise and capped one of the NBA's most dramatic turnarounds in recent years following a dismal 2007 when the Celtics won just 24 regular-season games compared to 66 this year.

"Back on top," declared a banner headline in the Boston Globe newspaper on Wednesday. "It felt like a restoration of the natural order of the basketball universe," wrote Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy.

(Reporting by Jason Szep; Editing by Bill Trott)