NBA: Boston Celtics lead again against Golden State Warriors

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Contested game: Stephen Curry (30) went down during the Boston Celtics game against the Golden State Warriors

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Steven Senne/AP

The Boston Celtics took the lead again in the hard-fought final series for the NBA title.

Cheered enthusiastically by most of the 19,156 fans in the TD Garden, the traditional team beat the Golden State Warriors 116:100 on Wednesday evening and only needs two more wins to win the 18th title in its history - the Celtics would then be alone again before the Los Angeles Lakers Record champions in the best basketball league in the world.

“You deserve the win.

They put a lot of pressure on us and it felt like we were swimming upstream most of the time," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

Stephen Curry limped at times

As in the first two games, the Celtics allowed themselves a long phase of weakness in the third quarter and fell behind after an 18-point lead.

When Stephen Curry was fouled in a successful three-pointer, received two extra free throws for the nature of the foul and reduced the lead from nine points to four within seconds, the game seemed to tip in favor of the Warriors.

But in front of their home crowd, the Celtics regained the lead before the end of the period and went into the final quarter with four points more.

Since they allowed the Warriors only eleven points.

“We know this is a great team.

It depends how you answer.

Just keep going," Jayson Tatum said on US television.

With 26 points, he was the second-best shooter on his team, Jaylen Brown had one point more.

Daniel Theis was not used

The Warriors, on the other hand, couldn't keep the momentum from the crystal-clear victory in the second game on Sunday and are under pressure, just like after the defeat at the start of the final series.

Curry played a very strong third quarter again and booked a total of 31 points, but had to endure a lot physically and limped at times.

Celtics professional Al Horford landed on his left leg in a scramble between several players for the ball.

Curry had then lain on the floor for some time.

"I'll be fine.

Maybe some pain tomorrow,' Curry said.

"I don't feel like it's bad."

In contrast to the first two matches of the final series, national player Daniel Theis was not used.

Celtics coach Ime Udoka only sent eight different professionals onto the floor two minutes before the end, but he also did without Lower Saxony, who is only the second German after Dirk Nowitzki to win the NBA title.

The Celtics have been waiting for their 18th championship since 2008.

The Warriors are hoping for the seventh title in their history and the first since 2018. Statistically, almost everything speaks for the Celtics: In the 39 final series so far, in which it was 1-1 after the first two games, the winner of game three won according to information the AP news agency 82 percent of the championship.

The exceptions, however, include the Warriors, who lost 2-1 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015 and then won the title.

ara/dpa