History in Boston.
With the Boston Celtics’ 106-88 Game 5 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night at TD Garden, to clinch Boston’s 18th NBA Championship in franchise history, their first since 2008, Al Horford became the first-ever Dominican-born player to win a NBA Finals.
Once the final buzzer sounded with confetti reigning down from TD Garden’s rafters, Horford, 38, of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, son of Tito Horford, who played three NBA seasons, celebrated with loved ones and his daughter, who he held in his arms while waving a Dominican Republic flag in excitement.
The Horford's are champs 🏆☘️ pic.twitter.com/VKYIH1aJSI
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 18, 2024
“It’s been long; a lot of hard work. I am so proud to be a part of this team, and that it happened now,” said Horford minutes after the win on the Larry O’Brien championship trophy presentation stage. “¡Gloria de Dios!” (Glory to God!).
“I can’t believe it, I still can’t believe it. We did it, we’re here. I can’t believe it. This is just how I pictured it here at the Garden, with our fans, everybody together. This is just how I saw it.”
Horford, a 17-year-NBA-veteran, who has been through the wars and battles, with the most-ever playoff games played without winning a championship (186) prior to Monday evening, was an unrecognized piece in the Celtics’ historic postseason run — averaging 9.2 PPG on 47.8% shooting from the field with 7.0 RPG, and 2.1 APG. Throughout their NBA Finals path in 19 games, Horford gained more playing time due to Celtics starting center Kristaps Porzingis suffering and battling multiple lower body injuries.
"He's waited 17 years for his NBA championship."
Al Horford checks out of Game 5 💚 pic.twitter.com/LzHR0xBkQN
— NBA (@NBA) June 18, 2024
Celtics react to Horford winning a NBA Championship
Jaylen Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: “We leaned on him so much. Probably too much for his age and where he’s at. He just delivered. So consistent, so disciplined with his body. Never complains, you know what I mean. The only thing he does is add to winning.”
Jayson Tatum: “He don’t have much time left out here. He paved the way for a lot of us. It means the world to us to share this with him.”
From falling to his knees after making the 2022 NBA Finals… to jumping for joy after WINNING it all 💚 🙌
Al Horford waited 17 seasons for THIS moment. pic.twitter.com/GICInh724b
— NBA (@NBA) June 18, 2024
Jrue Holiday: “Knowing the type of person that Al is, knowing the leader that he is, even off the court, the father that he is, just the all-around great person and great human. I’d run through a brick wall for him.”
Derrick White: “Hell of a career… Just does everything for us. Doesn’t ask for anything. I’m so happy for him, and I’m glad I could be a part of it. Just an amazing career, and this is just another chapter of it.”
Robert Rizzo is a journalist and editor of Latino Sports – Email: RobertRiz994@gmail.com
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JulianGuilarte
June 18, 2024 at 3:24 pm
What a moment and great he was the first Dominican to win an NBA tittle.