Nigeria’s Ime Udoka led Boston Celtics to a 100-96 victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday to claim the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff title and a place in the final where they will face the Golden State Warriors.
Udoka’s charges claimed a hard-fought 4-3 win that takes them to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.
Meanwhile, Udoka was not one to celebrate widely as he said in his post-game interview that the final against the Warriors was more important.
The former D’Tigers’ Captain said: “It’ll be all for naught if we go lay an egg in the Finals, and we understand that,” Udoka revealed immediately after being crowned Eastern Conference champions. “Guys were quick to celebrate but quick to flip the page and say ‘we got four more,” he added.
“We don’t hang or celebrate Eastern Conference championships in the Celtics organization, so we all fall in line and appreciate that standard of excellence.”
Udoka is the first Nigerian to lead a team to the NBA Playoffs final after becoming the first Nigerian to lead an NBA franchise in August 2021.
