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Al Horford had five points, 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the win over the Heat.
Al Horford, who with the Boston Celtics qualifying for the NBA Finals the first Dominican to opt for the ring in the history of the league, underlined this Sunday his enormous emotion of him and he stood out. the support that he has received from all his compatriots.
& quot; That he sits in the Republic. This is a celebration & quot; , he said in Spanish to the media at the end of the game against the Miami Heat.
“I am very grateful and very excited. we are here in Miami, very close to the Dominican Republic. that my family is happy and that the whole country was watching the match. They sent me photos, they were prepared for this” in English.
At 35 years old and after 15 seasons in the NBA, Horford is playing at a very high level and has been essential in the great season of the Celtics, who this Sunday beat the Heat in Miami in the seventh game of the Eastern final (96-100) and They will face the Golden State Warriors for the NBA title. in this match 5 points, 14 rebounds and 3 assists and was key in two decisive plays: he defended; the triple that missed Jimmy Butler to have culminated the comeback of the Heat and also grabbed the rebound on the last play of the game.
“It was distressing. Butler threw and anything could have happened, he could have made that shot”, he admitted. about that moment.
END TO THE DROUGHT
With his ticket to dispute the ring, Horford closes the number at 141 of playoff games that he had played in the NBA without having played in the Finals, a figure that represents a historical record in the league.
Horford highlighted who has been part of “great teams” throughout his career, but he emphasized what is special about these Celtics led by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart.
“I am very proud of this team.I’ve seen Jaylen Brown come into the league, take steps and go through levels. I’ve seen Jayson Tatum do the same thing. I’ve seen Marcus Smart grow up. For me, it’s special to be with them and be able to help them and be a part of it. I’m really grateful to be in this position,” he said.
The Celtics, with Ime Udoka in his first season as Boston coach, began with many doubts and closed January with a discreet balance of 27 wins and 25 losses.
However, from there on. they became a hurricane that swept across the country. In the NBA, they went 24-6 their last 30 games, and were second in the East with a 51-31 record.
“It took us for a while”, he admitted. Horford.
“But once we understood how we had to play, we were more consistent. It is not an easy journey and we had a difficult road: the Brooklyn Nets; the defending champions, the Milwaukee Bucks; and the Miami Heat” pointing out the “resilience” of Boston.
This was a night of mixed emotions for Horford since he recently passed away. his grandfather , with whom I had a very close relationship.
“All this week, my mother and my family told me to just go out and play, that this is something that my grandfather would have said. He wanted me to do, to continue and to stay focused knowing that now he is doing it. in peace & quot ;, she said.
Lastly, her partner Jaylen Brown, who appeared before the means with Horford, did not save Compliments to his partner.
“No one deserves this more than him, Brown said of Horford.
” His energy, his demeanor, every day as a professional, taking care of his body, being a leader… I am proud to be able to share this moment with a veteran, a mentor and a brother like Al Horford. He’s been great all season and really my entire career. I’m happy to be able to share this with someone like him,” he added.