Warriors topple Celtics to win 4th NBA title in 8 years

BOSTON –

The NBA champions are the Golden State Warriors, who defeated the Boston Celtics 103 to 90 on Thursday night to win their fourth title in eight seasons.

Stephen Curry scored 34 points and was named the NBA Finals MVP as the Warriors claimed the franchise’s seventh championship overall. And this one completed a journey like none other, after a run of five consecutive finals, then a plummet to the bottom of the NBA, and now a return to greatness just two seasons after having the league’s worst record.

“We found a way to just get it done,” Curry saidThe Warriors accepted the championship trophy and were able to celebrate on the court. “It’s part of a championship pedigree, our experience. This was built over a period of 10-11 years. That means a lot when you get to this stage.”

For Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala, it’s a fourth championship. The first three rings were in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2018, when Golden State had been dynastic and made five consecutive trips into the finals.

Injuries, which included ones that left Thompson sidelined for 2 1/2 years, as well as roster changes, changed everything. The Warriors were back this season with Thompson returning at the midway point.

It was also back on top. Champions, again, deny the storied Celtics an 18th record championship that would have allowed Boston the opportunity to break the tie with Los Angeles Lakers for most league history.

This tale for the Warriors ended much differently than what was their most recent finals appearance against Toronto in 2019, one that saw Kevin Durant tear his Achilles tendon in Game 5 and then Thompson tear his ACL in what became the Raptors’ title-clincher in Game 6.

The aftermath of that loss was exacerbated by Durant’s decision to leave that summer in free agency to join the Brooklyn Nets and Thompson’s own Achilles injury while rehabilitating his knee injury.

“It all paid off,” Thompson said. “It was dog days, a lot of tears shed. It was possible, but it was impossible to see it in reality. … It’s crazy.”

It forced a Golden State team to rebuild, which became a reload. The Warriors used their two-year hiatus from the NBA’s biggest stages to retool their roster – adding a past No. Andrew Wiggins, the draft pick, was a star in his first finals. Jordan Poole was also a rising star.

It all worked. For Golden State coach Steve Kerr, it’s a ninth championship overall after winning five as a player. He’s the sixth coach to capture four titles, joining Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach, John Kundla, Gregg Popovich and Pat Riley.

Jaylen brown led the Celtics scoring 34 points. Al Horford added 19. Jayson Tatum had 13 points and shot 6 of 18 from the floor. Boston also committed 22 turnovers. This postseason, Boston’s total of turnovers dropped to 1-8 when they had 16 or more.

Boston lost just five games in 22 title-series appearances. The team turned their season around and was now in contention for this crown. Boston was 25-25 after 50 games, then went on an absolute tear to get to the finals and nearly claim what would have been just the franchise’s second championship since 1986.

It was the third consecutive season in which things were affected worldwide by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although things were closer to normal, images and video of the championship celebration will forever remind us that the virus is still a problem.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver could not be at the game because he remained in the league’s health and safety protocols related to the virus. The redesigned Larry O’Brien Trophy – the golden souvenir given to the NBA champions – was presented to the Warriors by deputy commissioner Mark Tatum instead.

Boston trailed by 22 points at one point, but managed to turn it around with a 16-4 third quarter to reduce the deficit to 76-66 going into the fourth.

Jaylen Brown’s 3-pointer made it 86 to 78 with 5:33 left, but the Warriors never lost the lead.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Went 19 out of 45 from the 3-point line. … Improved to 20-1 when Green makes a 3-pointer.

Celtics: Former Celtic Ray Allen, a member of Boston’s last championship team in 2008, sat courtside. Robert Parish, a Hall of Famer, was also present.

A RUN, A RESPONSE

The Celtics came out firing, riding on the energy from a deafening TD Garden crowd for an early 14-2 lead.

Golden State wasn’t rattled and responded with a 35-8 run that stretched into the second quarter on the way to building as much as a 22-point lead. The Warriors outscored Celtics by 27-17 during the period. They held a 54 to 39 lead into the second quarter. Some Celtics fans cheered as the home team left the court.

Boston came back in the third, but Warriors found their range beyond the arc and connected on six 3s in quarter.