NBA FINALS CHECK IN

NBA / Basketball

Written by Eddie Huband

As the series shifts to Boston tonight tied at one game a piece, it’s still difficult to read how things are going to unfold. It’s basically been dead even through six if the eight quarters, with each team dominating one.

Source (Background Photo): Getty Images

In game one, the Warriors fell asleep at the wheel a little bit, opening the door for a stunning fourth quarter onslaught by Boston where they outscored the home side 40-18 in the frame. Now, a lot of that was due to some insane three point shooting that probably isn’t sustainable. Looking at you Derrick White.

Still, despite the somewhat fluky three point shooting, the Celtics got the game they needed and now have a chance to take a strangle hold of the series with two straight games in front of their home crowd.

In game 2, the C’s had to deal with a strangely refereed game combined with the antics of Draymond Green, who decided to go full on wrestling heel when he realized he wasn’t going to get thrown out.

Still though, with Draymond, you got to expect the physicality and smack talk, and blaming the officiating, or lack thereof doesn’t tell the real story of why Boston lost.

After a great game one from their supporting cast, they no help from anyone not named Jason Tatum or Jaylen Brown in game 2.

Marcus Smart, Al Horford and Robert Williams combined for just 6 points. That’s not good enough in the Finals. If Boston is going to win this series, which I still believe they will, they have to find a way to combine a good Tatum/Brown game with some shot making by the role players.

In the Warriors case, game 2 saw a familiar script unfold, with Golden State having one of their patented third quarter explosions to run away with the game. Though there were some postgame comments that made it seem like the dubs dominated the game wire to wire, when Boston actually led by two at halftime.

A good sign was Jordan Poole finally getting going with a barrage of second half threes, though I’d like to seem him do that when he team isn’t up by 15 before I’m ready to say “he’s back”

Steph Curry has been his usual self, and Green as I mentioned was at his annoying best, but Golden State is going to need more help against this Boston defence. The key is Klay Thompson, who’s been downright awful in these finals.

It’s hard to write anything negative about a guy who’s come back from two major leg injuries, and is also one of the most likable players in the league, but facts are facts. Klay isn’t the same guy he was back in 2019, at least not yet.

He doesn’t have the explosiveness needed to beat people off the dribble anymore, rendering his game very one dimensional. And even his shooting efficiency isn’t close to his pre injury standards.

Golden State needs Thompson’s scoring and floor spacing ability to show up for at least a game or two.

Ultimately, the series being tied 1-1 feels like the right score. We’ll see how things unfold in the TD garden.