SAN FRANCISCO — The weight of a fourth-quarter collapse can linger in the losing team’s memory for days, causing anxious mistakes and feelings of dread. When a comfortable lead gets squandered in a rush, it’s not so easy to find comfort again.
Warriors brush aside nerves, put down the Celtics to even the NBA Finals
Within seconds of Game 2 tipping off, Golden State made it clear that it planned to bring maximum urgency: Draymond Green wrestled Al Horford to the floor for a jump ball, the opening salvo in what would be a busy night for Golden State’s defensive captain. Green engaged in subsequent scuffles with Grant Williams and Jaylen Brown, drawing a technical foul for his repeated extracurricular activities. Yet a nervy haze remained over Chase Center for most of the first three quarters: Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson committed sloppy turnovers and forced the occasional shot, while Golden State’s perimeter defense kept losing track of Boston’s three-point shooters.
Even as the Warriors built a double-digit lead shortly after halftime, the agonizing threat of deja vu remained. Curry didn’t mince words Saturday — saying that Golden State had already arrived at its “come-to-Jesus moment” — and for good reason: No NBA team had lost the first two games of the Finals at home and rallied to win the championship.
But the mood finally lightened when Jordan Poole dribbled up the court at the end of the third quarter, weaving back and forth to evade the Celtics’ Payton Pritchard. As the clock reached zero, Poole set up a step-back three-pointer from just inside half court, an audacious attempt he launched calmly as if it were an ordinary jumper. The shot swished through as the buzzer sounded, landing like a shock to Golden State’s troubled system and drawing a bear hug from Curry. The Warriors didn’t need to sweat another blown lead when a 45-footer was splashing in.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of strategic change — a couple of tweaks here and there,” Coach Steve Kerr said. “The preparation was mostly about our intensity and physicality. It was obviously ramped up tonight, and it needed to be given what Boston did in Game 1. That’s the name of the game in the Finals. Game 1 was too easy for Boston.”
For Boston, the blowout was a continuation of its tendency to let up after victories and a reminder that it takes more than three-point shooting to win a title. The scoring balance that defined Boston’s Game 1 victory eluded the Celtics, who leaned heavily on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown while receiving only scattered contributions from their starting frontcourt. Tatum shook off a poor shooting performance in Game 1 to score a team-high 28 points by hitting an array of tough shots, but Brown proved to be a bit too eager, shooting 5 for 17 from the field, and Al Horford and Robert Williams III combined for just four points inside.
Boston’s offense was far too one-dimensional, unable to generate consistent scoring going to the basket and relying too much on the outside shot. The Celtics shot 9 for 34 on two-pointers in the first three quarters, finding it difficult to finish in traffic and draw whistles.
“[The Warriors] were better defensively,” Horford said. “We missed a lot of easy ones around the basket. I need to be better in that area, and I will be next game. [Green] is going to do what he does. We’re not worried about him. We’re going to do what we do. [Our third-quarter play] is something we have to fix.”
Kerr made several tweaks to his rotation in response to the Game 1 defeat, reinserting backup guard Gary Payton II to help fill the gaps for forward Andre Iguodala, who sat out with a swollen knee. Kerr also turned to backup forward Nemanja Bjelica, who provided a pair of first-half buckets by finding seams to the hoop. Moving the ball in search of cutters was a common theme for the Warriors, who settled in early by finding center Kevon Looney for open looks at the rim.
“We knew our backs were against the wall,” Payton said. “We can’t go to Boston down 2-0. [Green] lit the fire under us. He lights it and everyone else follows.”
Curry again handled the bulk of the scoring for the Warriors, breaking open a close game by scoring 14 of his game-high 29 points in the third quarter. The two-time MVP made five three-pointers, helping to overcome a poor shooting night from Thompson, who finished 4 for 19 from the field (and 1 for 8 from three-point range). Curry’s consistent probing and Poole’s long-range three helped Golden State outscore Boston 35-14 in the pivotal third quarter.
Celtics Coach Ime Udoka will be counting on his team to bounce back in Wednesday’s Game 3 — they are a perfect 6-0 in these playoffs after a loss — but regaining control of the series will require better ball control, offensive rhythm and defensive intensity.
“We didn’t get as much penetration into the paint,” Udoka said. “Turnovers and poor offense contributed to [Golden State’s] runs. A team that scores as well as they do, we don’t need to help them out.”
Source: WP
