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Scene from the final playoffs: "They played a damn good fourth quarter"
Photo:
Jed Jacobsohn / dpa
The Boston Celtics have made a remarkable start to the NBA Finals, taking the first step towards their 18th title.
Thanks to a furious final quarter, the team with German national player Daniel Theis won 120:108 at the Golden State Warriors and inflicted the opponent's first home defeat in the current playoffs.
In their first final in 12 years, the Celtics were 80-92 down going into the final period before turning the game around with a 17-0 run.
The 36-year-old Celtics veteran Al Horford scored 26 points in the first final game of his career, eleven of them in the final quarter alone, which went to the guests 40:16.
Boston now leads 1-0 in the best-of-seven series.
Four wins are required to win the title, which would be Boston's first since 2008.
Should the Celtics win the title, they would again be the sole NBA record champions with 18 triumphs ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers.
»Have a chance to achieve something great«
“They played a damn fine fourth quarter, they have to be given credit.
It's that simple," said Golden State coach Steve Kerr.
With the Warriors, superstar Stephen Curry had 34 points, Andrew Wiggins had 20 and Klay Thompson had 15 points.
Theis, who is the third German after Detlef Schrempf and Dirk Nowitzki to play for the Larry O'Brien Trophy, was only allowed six minutes and scored three points.
Nowitzki won the NBA playoffs eleven years ago.
"Now I'm part of it and have the chance to achieve something big," said 30-year-old Theis.
Game two of the series takes place on Monday night (2 a.m. CEST).
bka/sid/dpa
