THE feeling-out process is complete. All even at 2-2 in the NBA finals, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors now contest a best-of-three for the championship.
Two relatively healthy teams, inspired by previous success on Golden State’s home court and refreshed from having two days off, will duel in Game 5 in San Francisco on Monday night (Tuesday in Manila).
“It’s the finals,” summed up Celtics star Jayson Tatum. “It’s not going to be easy. It shouldn’t be. We know we both want it, and we have to go take it.”
The first four games have been about as evenly contested as they get. . . except the final scores.
The Warriors have outscored the Celtics by a total of just 422-421, belying the fact that no single game has been decided by fewer than 10 points.
Golden State also has slight edges in field goal percentage (44.9-44.2), offensive rebounds (40-39) and fewest turnovers (59-60), while Boston has been a touch better in free throws made (57-50) and total rebounds (171-167).
Each team has made 64 3-pointers.
Stephen Curry has a series-best 25 of the Warriors’ 64 threes, including seven in 14 attempts in a dramatic 43-point performance that drew Golden State even in a 107-97 triumph at Boston in Game 4 on Friday (Saturday in Manila).
“The heart of that man is incredible,” teammate Klay Thompson gushed. “The things he does we kind of take for granted from time to time, but to go out there and put us on his back, I mean, we got to help him out (in Game 5).”
The Warriors did that the last time the clubs met in San Francisco in Game 2. Curry had 29 points, but Jordan Poole chipped in with 17 off the bench, Gary Payton II returned from a fractured elbow to make all three of his shots, and Golden State’s four other starters combined for 43 points, 21 rebounds, 12 assists and six steals in a team effort that produced a 107-88 win. — Field Level Media
