Warriors at Celtics tabla na sa 2-2, sa NBA Finals best-of-seven series
Gumawa ng kamangha-manghang 43-points, 10 rebounds at four assists si Stephen Curry, nang manalo ang Golden State Warriors laban sa Boston Celtics sa score na 107-97 para tumabla sa NBA Finals series sa 2-2 nitong Biyernes (Sabado sa Maynila).
Nagdeliver si Curry ng isa sa kaniyang best performances, para muling painitin ang pag-asa ng Golden State sa ika-pitong kampeonato.
Naging kuwestiyonable ang paglalaro ni Curry sa game four nang magtamo ng injury sa game three noong Miyerkoles.
Subali’t pinawalang saysay ng 34-anyos na two-time NBA Most Valuable Player ang anumang pagdududa, matapos humakot ng puntos at dalhin ang Warriors pabalik sa finals sa gane five na gaganapin sa San Francisco sa Lunes.
Samantala, nagdagdag din si Klay Thompson ng 18 puntos para sa Warriors habang si Andrew Wiggins ay nag-ambag din ng 17 points at 16 rebounds sa isang crucial contribution, at si Jordan Poole ay gumawa naman ng 14 points mula sa bench.
Ayon kay Curry . . . “A lot of pride in our group, a lot of talk over the last 48 hours about how we can get back into this series. It’s crazy because I still feel we can play a little bit better. But to win on the road and get home court advantage back, is big for this group. We’ve been here six times, we’ve got a lot of experience of staying confident and composed. I’m just thankful for everyone on our team because we brought a lot of toughness and physicality tonight. We knew how big this game was. That five-and-a-half hour flight home got a little better after tonight.”
Ayon naman kay Warriors coach Steve Kerr, patungkol sa performance ni Curry . . . “Just stunning. The physicality out there is, you know, pretty dramatic. I mean, Boston’s got obviously, best defense in the league. Huge and powerful at every position, and for Steph to that kind of pressure all game long and still be able to defend at the other end when they are coming at him shows you, I think, this is the strongest physically he’s ever been in his career, and it’s allowing him to do what he’s doing.”
Naiwan namang nag-iisip ang Boston coach na si Ime Udoka kung ano ang nangyari. Kailangan ngayon ng Celtics na manalo ng kahit isa pang laro sa San Francisco kung saan sila nanalo sa game one, para makuha ang 18th NBA crown.
Sinabi ni Udoka . . . “Had our opportunities tonight, especially when we did have a five-, six-point lead. It felt like we didn’t have our best possessions, and kind of let them back in the game, whether it was turnovers or poor offense. It could have been an easier road, obviously, if you get the win tonight. But it is what it is. We’re 2-2 now. We know we can do it. We’ve done it before. Keep your head up and let’s go get one on the road.”
Pinangunahan ni Jayson Tatum ang Boston scorers sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang 23 points, habang si Jaylen Brown ay nag-ambag ng 21 points. Si Marcus Smart ay nagdagdag din ng 18 points at 16 points naman ang kay Derrick White.
© Agence France-Presse
