Miami dinaig ng Boston, Warriors makakaharap ng Celtics sa NBA Finals
BOSTON, MA - MAY 29: Former NBA Player, Tito Horford embraces Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics after Game 7 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals on May 29, 2022 at the FTX Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Brian Babineau / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)
Umabante na sa NBA Finals ang Boston Celtics matapos talunin ang Miami Heat sa score na 100-96, at nakatakda namang harapin ang Golden State Warriors.
Nakuha ng Boston ang winner-takes-all matchup para angkinin ang best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals 4-3 at magkaroon ng puwesto sa championship series, na magsisimula sa Huwebes sa San Francisco.
Ayon kay Jayson Tatum na gumawa ng 26 points . . . “We aren’t satisfied. We’ve still got a long way to go. We know we have a tough task ahead. I’m looking forward to it.”
Ang Celtics, na tumalo sa 2021 NBA champion na Milwaukee sa pitong laro, ay nanguna mula simula hanggang matapos ngunit kinailangang pigilan ang pagresbak ng Heat sa nalalabing minuto upang marating ang una nilang NBA Finals mula noong 2010.
Sinabi ni Celtics coach Ime Udoka . . . “We’re a resilient group. We can’t ever really slam the door but we held them off. Now our focus is to win four more.”
Umabante na ang Boston, pagkatapos matalo ng tatlong ulit sa conference finals sa nakalipas na limang seasons.
Ani Tatum . . . “To get over the hump with this group, it means everything. Not a lot of people believed in us, but it worked out.”
Si Tatum, na nag-ambag din ng 10 rebounds at six assists, ay pinangalanan bilang Eastern Conference Most Valuable Player.
Aniya . . . “It was the biggest game of my career. Going through those tough times helped us grow, helped us learn. They kept coming at us. We kept responding. We left it all on the floor. We got it done.”
Samantala, nagdagdag din ng tig-24 na puntos sina Marcus Smart at Jaylen Brown para sa Boston, habang pinangunahan naman ni Jimmy Butler ang Miami sa pamamagitan ng 35 points.
Ayon kay Butler . . . “Not good enough. I didn’t do enough. Stats don’t mean anything. I learned I have to be better and I will be better. We’re going to come back better than ever.”
Nawalan ng tyansa ang East top seed na Miami para sa pangalawang NBA Finals sa tatlong taon at unang titulo mula noong 2013.
Sinabi ni Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra . . . “It’s one of the worst feelings in the world to address your locker room after a game like this. It’s heartbreaking when it ends like this.”
Hinati ng Golden State ang dalawang laro sa Celtics sa regular season, nanalo ng 111-107 noong Disyembre sa Boston at natalo noong Marso 110-88 sa home court nang magkaroon ng injury ang star guard na si Stephen Curry.
Ang Boston ay hindi pa nakaabot sa finals mula nang matalo 12 taon na ang nakararaan sa Los Angeles Lakers. Ang Celtics ay hindi pa nanalo ng NBA crown mula noong 2008.
Target naman ng Warriors, sa NBA Finals para sa ika-anim na pagkakataon sa walong taon, na makuha ang ika-apat nilang titulo at ang una simula noong 2018.
Wika ni Brown . . . “This is a great opportunity. This is what you put all the work in for your whole life. We’ve got to embrace it but also embrace the challenge. We’re playing a team that has been there, done that before. We’ve got to come with our A-game.”
Dagdag pa ni Spoelstra . . . “We had plenty of opportunities. We just couldn’t get control of the game. Most of the game we were grinding.”
Sinabi pa ni Brown . . . “We’ve been responding all year to adversity. Today was the biggest test of the year, of our careers, and we got past it. We persevered. We got the job done.”
Ang 35-anyos namang Dominican center ng Boston na si Al Hortford, ay naglaro ng 44-na minuto at nakahakot ng isang game-high 14 rebounds para makaabot sa una niyang NBA Finals.
Aniya . . . “I’m happy to be sharing this moment with these guys. This is a special group.”
Si Butler naman na may 24 na first-half points, ay naglaro ng 48 minuto.
Ani Spoelstra . . . “We just couldn’t afford to have him off the court.”
© Agence France-Presse
