SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry led Golden State to a different electrical third quarter outburst Sunday night time in entrance of a sold-out Chase Middle crowd. However not like their embarrassing collapse in Recreation 1 of the NBA Finals, the Warriors held sturdy and fended off the Celtics in Recreation 2 for a 107-88 win.
Curry scored 14 of his 29 factors within the third, serving to the Warriors outscore the Celtics 35-14 to take a 23-point lead heading into the ultimate 12 minutes.
After coughing up a double-digit fourth quarter lead in Recreation 1 in an epic fourth quarter meltdown, the Warriors had been in a position to maintain their third quarter momentum on Sunday, cruising all through a snug fourth to tie the sequence 1-1.
The Warriors didn’t make many strategic modifications heading into Recreation 2, based on coach Steve Kerr.
“The preparation was principally about our depth and physicality. It was clearly ramped up tonight, and it wanted to be, given what Boston did in Recreation 1,” Kerr stated. “That’s the secret within the Finals. It’s arduous to get an open shot on the market, and it’s purported to be tough. Recreation 1 was too straightforward for Boston with the appears they had been getting in that fourth quarter.”
The Celtics hit back-to-back 3-pointers with 4:32 remaining within the third quarter to drag inside six of the Warriors, however that was the closest they'd get to Golden State for the remainder of the sport. Curry, the primary focus of Boston’s league-best protection, nailed two 3-pointers throughout an 11-0 run that prolonged the Warriors’ result in 79-62 with 1:54 left within the third quarter.
“Steph was breathtaking in that quarter — not simply the shot making however the defensive effort,” Kerr stated. “He simply doesn’t get sufficient credit score for his stage of conditioning, physicality and protection.
“Folks go at him to attempt to put on him down as a result of they understand how necessary he's to us offensively, and it’s fairly dramatic the distinction in Steph’s energy and physicality in his physique now than from eight years in the past after I first bought right here. So the man’s superb, he simply retains engaged on his recreation, his energy, his conditioning 12 months after 12 months, and it’s a pleasure to observe him play each night time.”
A poor first half efficiency saved Jordan Poole out of the sport till the final 1:19 of the third quarter, however he made essentially the most of that closing 79 seconds. Poole handed out an help on a Kevon Looney layup and hit two 3-pointers, together with a spotlight worthy pull-up shot from 39-feet to beat the buzzer.
Poole completed with 5 3-pointers and 17 factors off the bench.
Boston made 5 straight photographs to start out the sport, together with a pair of 3-pointers, to leap out to a nine-point lead, however the Celtics’ sharpshooting went chilly and the Warriors held a 52-50 benefit at halftime.
Poole emerged within the second half, however Andrew Wiggins completed with 11 factors and Klay Thompson had a postseason low 11 on what was a shoddy night time of taking pictures for the 2 starters.
In the meantime, Draymond Inexperienced’s affect went far past the field rating. He completed with 9 factors, seven assists and 5 rebounds however was the center of the Warriors’ assault Sunday. He set the tone on protection and was a menace to the Celtics.
“We knew our backs had been towards the wall, we couldn’t go into Boston being down 2-0,” Gary Payton II stated. Inexperienced “lit the fireplace beneath us, as this complete season. He lights it and all people else follows, and tonight was a kind of massive nights that everyone responded.”
The Warriors had been with out Andre Iguodala after his knee flare up with swelling following Saturday’s observe, however Payton made his return after being out for a month with a damaged elbow. He took turns guarding Jayson Tatum, who completed with a team-high 28 factors for Boston. After lacking a pair of free throws, Payton put to relaxation any doubts of whether or not his elbow would hinder his taking pictures, making all three of his photographs for seven factors in 25 minutes.
The Warriors improved to 10-1 within the playoffs at Chase Middle, whereas the Celtics are actually 8-3 on the street this postseason. The most effective-of-seven sequence strikes to Boston for the subsequent two video games.
