Kevin Garnett of the Celtics is pumped up during the third quarter of last night’s title-clinching victory in Game Six of the NBA Finals against the Lakers.

AP / Winslow Townson

BOSTON — Kevin Garnett came to Boston to win an NBA championship.

Anything less, Garnett indicated, would be a major disappointment.

Forget about the 66 wins, which is the third most in franchise history.

Forget about the NBA record single-season turnaround. Forget about the Eastern Conference championship and recording the best record in the NBA.

Garnett would have traded all of those in for an NBA title.

He wanted to hang up Boston’s NBA-record 17th championship banner.

It’s what motivated him to play with the fierce, fist-pumping, chest-pounding intensity that hasn’t been seen in Boston in some time.

Last night, in front of 18,624 screaming fans at the TD Banknorth Garden, and millions more watching at home, Garnett got his wish.

Dream achieved, Garnett powered the Celtics to a Game Six 131-92 statement victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, and with it the Celtics won the series, 4-2, and captured the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Garnett scored 26 points and pulled down 14 rebounds, overcoming a pedestrian Game Five performance in which he netted 13 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and said afterward that he had played like “garbage.”

He said after Game Five that he was going to play much better in Game Six.

Mission accomplished.

“I know my presence on the court has to be there for us to be a dominant team, even though we have guys out there that can get it done,” Garnett said. “I have to be on the court.”

Garnett was on the court for 35 minutes last night, and he played hard every second. He played like a superstar hungry for an NBA title. He played like someone on an epic journey who was not going to be denied.

Garnett made sure his first trip to the NBA Finals in his Hall of Fame-caliber career was a memorable one for himself, his teammates and Celtic Nation.

The NBA Defensive Player of the Year set the tone right from the start last night. He sank five of his first seven shots and scored 10 points in the first quarter to get the Celtics out to a 24-20 lead.

He then helped Boston to a 58-35 halftime lead by pouring in seven points in the second quarter to finish a dominating first half with 17 points, on 8-for-12 shooting (66.7 percent), and 6 rebounds.

The Lakers had no answer for Garnett. They couldn’t stop him.

He lived up to his billing as the Big Ticket. He called for the ball almost every time up the court, and he didn’t settle for outside jumpers like he had been doing for most of the series.

Garnett was simply amazing.

In the second half, with the Celtics holding a substantial lead, Garnett concentrated on playing defense, to prevent a Lakers comeback, and getting his teammates involved offensively.

He showed why his peers call him the ultimate team player.

Garnett was 0-for-3 in the third quarter but was 5-for-6 from the free-throw line and had an assist. He added four more points in the fourth quarter.

After Los Angeles, trailing by 113-77, took a timeout with 5:07 remaining, Garnett yelled and pumped his fist to the crowd to thank them for their support.

In return, the crowd gave Garnett a standing ovation. When he left the game with just over four minutes left, Paul Pierce, Kendrick Perkins and coach Doc Rivers all gave Garnett a big hug. He then went up and down the sideline giving all of his teammates hugs, and he even shook a few hands and gave a few hugs to the fans who were sitting behind and to the side of the Celtics’ bench.

It was a storybook ending for Garnett, who changed the culture of the Celtics’ franchise this season.

He is the major reason the Celtics, who allowed 99.2 points per game last season, limited teams to 90.3 points per game this season (ranked 2nd) and the lowest field-goal percentage in the league (.419).

It was his intensity that he brought to practice and to games day in and day out that got his teammates believing in the importance of playing defense.

Going to Boston to join forces with Pierce and Ray Allen has been a dream come true for Garnett. He had advanced past the first round only once in 12 years in Minnesota. Winning the NBA championship was the perfect ending for his dream season.

“To be with Paul and Ray in this situation and the three of us having the same situation a year ago is very special,” Garnett said. “It has definitely been a journey. It’s really special, and I’m more than honored to be with those guys now.

“It’s about what you are able to sacrifice. The reason the three of us work is because we actually don’t just talk about sacrifice, but it’s something we actually exercise. It’s our way of life. We put the team above everything.”

roblee@projo.com