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sports Diaranson 15 Juni 2022

However it ends, these NBA Finals may be a classic

The series won’t end until Poole’s shot was part of a
Thursday, or maybe Sun- 13-0 run that decided mat-
day. A champion will be ters Monday, and now the
crowned, an NBA Finals Warriors know that a title —
MVP trophy will be hoist- which would be their fourth
ed, one side will spray a in eight years — is just one
few gallons of champagne win away.
and the other side will After seeing Kevin Durant
head out into a summer of get hurt and then leave for
lament. Brooklyn, after seeing Klay
Thompson get hurt — three
The winner: Still to be deter- years to the day from Mon-
mined. day — in the 2019 finals and
But this much is already then get hurt again on his way
clear: Even without a single back, after falling to the bot-
game decided by single dig- tom of the NBA in 2020 and
its through the first five con- then just missing the playoffs
tests, these 2022 NBA Finals last year, the Warriors are on
are on the brink of going the brink.
down as a classic. “Here we are,” Warriors
It’s Golden State 3, Bos- coach Steve Kerr said. “We
ton 2 going into Game 6 on have a chance. We have two
the Celtics’ home floor on cracks at getting one win. But
Thursday night. The War- we also know how difficult
riors grabbed the lead in the it’s going to be. Nobody’s
series with a 104-94 win on the Warriors’ Stephen Curry, And now they know, they’ll ing 43 points, even yelling at celebrating, but we’re excited
Monday in San Francisco, clanked all nine of his tries need to win another Game the crowd along the way, to to be in this spot.”
the latest entry on a long list from deep in Game 5. The 7 if they’re going to win this lead Golden State to a road He’s right. If this series has
of gut-check moments in this combined shooting numbers title. win in Game 4. proven anything, that win
series and the first time either in these NBA Finals are the “The message to the guys is And then came Monday. won’t come easy.
of these teams found a way lowest for a title series since to be confident going home, It didn’t disappoint. Celtics
to win consecutive games in 2016, and so is the scoring get your rest, let’s get ready fans had to be disappointed,
this matchup. average. But that’s more a to bring it back here,” Celtics sure, but Game 5 didn’t dis-
“It feels good,” Golden byproduct of two teams with coach Ime Udoka said. “For appoint.
State’s Klay Thompson said. a propensity for cranking up us, it’s really about consis- “Our backs are against the
“But we haven’t done any- defense when they must, tency. That’s the thing we’re wall,” the Celtics’ Al Horford
thing yet.” more than lackluster offense. not having throughout a full said. “We have to see what
It looked easy early for his “Our team came out with a game, consistent efforts, sus- we’re made of.”
team in Game 5, with the lot of fight,” Golden State’s tained effort, more so offen- Boston started the game by
Warriors up 16 before long Jordan Poole said after Game sively than anything.” missing its first 12 3-point
and taking a 12-point lead 5. The entire series has been a tries, then made its next eight
into halftime. Boston roared Such has been the story of pair of heavyweights throw- from beyond the arc, a di-
back in the third, taking as these NBA Finals — the guys ing knockout punches. The chotomy the likes of which
much as a five-point lead be- with more fight walk off win- 48-18 run by the Celtics to has never before been seen
fore Golden State restored ners. Such has really been the turn a 15-point third-quarter in NBA Finals history. Most
order and pulled away in the story for Boston most of the deficit into a 15-point fourth- of those eight makes came in
fourth — the latest entry on way in these playoffs. The quarter lead in Game 1. The a third-quarter outburst that
a list of wild back-and-forth Celtics won a Game 7 in 35-14 third quarter that the gave the Celtics the lead. It
swings that has defined this Round 2 to oust defending Warriors turned into an easy took a banked-in, beat-the-
series. champion Milwaukee. Went win in Game 2. The way the clock 33-foot 3-pointer by
The basketball hasn’t always on the road in the Eastern Celtics wasted a big lead, then Poole on the final play of the
been pretty. Even the most Conference finals to win a outscored the Warriors 34-17 third quarter to put Golden
prolific 3-point shooter ever, Game 7 at Miami to get here. to close Game 3. Curry scor- State up 75-74.

WNBA star Griner’s Russia detention extended for third time

MOSCOW (AP) — the Moscow region extended Griner’s supporters continue Tuesday that it was his un- sion in her detention only
WNBA star Brittney Gri- Griner’s detention for a third to advocate for her release, derstanding that department through Tass, which he said
ner will remain in Russian time, according to the Tass with some raising concerns officials learned of the exten- was problematic.
custody through at least report, which also cited a top that Moscow might use her
July 2, Russian state-run Russian diplomat as saying as a bargaining chip amid
news agency Tass reported that Moscow will not con- tensions over the war in
Tuesday. sider including Griner in a Ukraine.
detainee swap “until a court Griner, a two-time Olym-
The 31-year-old American investigation into her case is pic gold medalist who plays
basketball player has been completed.” in Russia during the WNBA
held in Russia since Febru- Deputy Foreign Minister offseason, was accused
ary when she was detained Sergei Ryabkov, according to of “smuggling significant
at a Moscow airport after au- Tass, was responding to US amounts of a narcotic sub-
thorities there claimed she media reports that the Biden stance,” an offense punish-
was carrying vape cartridges administration had offered able by up to 10 years in pris-
containing cannabis oil. The to exchange convicted arms on in Russia.
U.S. Department of State trader Viktor Bout for Gri- The Houston native plays for
last month reclassified her as ner. Ryabkov gave no time- the Phoenix Mercury.
wrongfully detained. line for the proceedings in State Department spokes-
The Khimki district court of the player’s case. man Ned Price told reporters