With another great performance from Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics on Thursday 103-90 and closed the NBA Finals series 4-2, winning their fourth league title since 2015.
Curry, with 34 points and six 3-pointers in the game, commanded the Warriors’ victory at Boston’s TD Garden alongside Klay Thompson (12 points) and Draymond Green (12 points), who have formed the team’s base in recent years. of dynasty.
The title ends the Warriors’ slump since falling to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 Finals, marred by the serious injuries of Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.
“At the beginning of the season nobody thought we would be here. It’s very surreal, very surreal,” Curry said.
After that loss, Durant left the team, and the following season Golden State had the worst record of any NBA team. In 2021, the Warriors also missed the playoffs.
But this season, the team has gained new life with the return of Klay Thompson after a long recovery period and finished third in the Western Conference.
In the postseason, the Californian team passed through the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks until reaching the Finals against the Celtics.
“This was the most unexpected title, but I am blessed. I’ve been surrounded by superstars and when you’re surrounded by superstars, anything can happen,” said Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors since 2014.
The Celtics, who needed to win to take the decision to Game 7, started the game with intensity, but then suffered a 21-0 streak between the first and second quarters, never seen in the last 50 years in the Finals, and had to admit a loss that leaves them without their long-awaited 18th NBA title.
Point guard Jaylen Brown was Boston’s all-time leading scorer with 34 points, followed by Dominican Al Horford with 19, but the team’s star Jayson Tatum had a dull night with just 13 points on 6/18 shooting from the field. .
Under the boos of the TD Garden, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum presented the trophy to the champions in the absence of league commissioner Adam Silver, who has COVID-19.
Curry Finals MVP
After lifting his fourth NBA title with the Warriors, Stephen Curry was named the Finals MVP (Most Valuable Player) for the first time in his career.
“This means that we took advantage of the opportunity”, said the point guard after the victory. “We listened to everything that was said, but in the end it comes down to what is done on the court.”
“At the beginning of the season they said we weren’t on the radar and here we are now, with two trophies in our hands. It means a lot,” said Curry, who received applause from the audience at the TD Garden.
At 34, he led Golden State through the toughest moments of the Finals and finished the series averaging 31.2 points, 5.2 3s, 6 rebounds and 5 assists over six games.
Curry, the greatest shooter and one of the best players in NBA history, has two regular season MVP awards (2015 and 2016).
In the three league titles previously won with the Warriors, the Finals MVP awards had gone to Andre Iguodala (2015) and Kevin Durant (2017 and 2018).
Datasheet:
Boston Celtics – Golden State Warriors 90 – 103
Court: TD Garden (Boston, Massachusetts)
Audience: 19,000 spectators
Partials: 22-27, 17-27, 27-22, 24-27
Celtics: Marcus Smart (9 points), Jaylen Brown (34), Jayson Tatum (13), Al Horford (19), Robert Williams III (10). Then came Derrick White (2), Grant Williams (3)
Warriors: Stephen Curry (34 points), Klay Thompson (12), Andrew Wiggins (18), Otto Porter Jr. (6), Draymond Green (12). Then came Jordan Poole (15), Gary Payton II (6)
— NBA Finals Results:
Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics
(Warriors won the series 4-2)
Thursday, June 2: Warriors – Celtics 108-120
Sunday, June 5: Warriors – Celtics 107-88
Wednesday, June 8: Celtics – Warriors 116-100
Friday June 10: Celtics – Warriors 97-107
Monday June 13: Warriors – Celtics 104-94
Thursday, June 16: Celtics – Warriors 90-103
