Finals Game Four: Steph Takes Over

The Golden State Warriors ended Game Three with the biggest bit of uncertainty hanging over their heads: the availability of Stephen Curry. Curry suffered an apparent injury during Game Three, which actually left the Warriors facing the possibility of playing Game Four without their star player. However, the news came in on the day of the game that Curry would be playing; no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

The Boston Celtics were in the driver's seat. They were ahead 2-1 in the NBA Finals, and they were still on their home court. The Celtics had a golden opportunity to really make it difficult for the Warriors, as a win would put them up 3-1. There have been 36 NBA Finals that featured a team up 3-1 after four games. Only one team came back from such a deficit to win the next three and take the whole thing. That team: the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. Their opponents: the 73-9 Golden State Warriors.

The first half definitely appeared to look as if Boston was going to be on the verge of taking Game Four. The team lead for nearly the entire half, and this was despite Jaylen Brown not showing up on the score sheet for most of the first quarter. A last second three-pointer placed Boston up by one after twelve minutes, and at the half, the Celtics led by five. All Boston had to do was keep playing their game, stick with what worked, and they would return to the Bay Area with a chance to close it out.

Then the 2nd half happened, and Steph Curry became a thing.

Golden State ended up taking over the 3rd quarter, and it was pretty much mostly thanks to Curry. So many shots from behind the arc...nailed! Some clutch shooting from Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins played a role as well, but it was Steph Curry leading the way. Warriors scored 30 points in the 3rd quarter, and the dominance continued in the 4th quarter; outscoring Boston 28-19. The Celtics never recovered; Golden State won 107-97, and what should have been a 3-1 series lead for the Celtics, is now a 2-2 Finals after four games.

Steph Curry finished with 43 points and went 7-for-14 from behind the three-point line. He also added 10 boards and four assists, and elsewhere, Klay Thompson had 18 points, Andrew Wiggins had 17 points and 16 boards, and Jordan Poole had 14 on the bench. For Boston, Jayson Tatum led the way with 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown had 21 points. However, both players disappeared in the fourth quarter.

To put it bluntly, Boston had this and blew it. From what I saw, the Celtics had a golden opportunity to successfully defend their home court and take Game Four, which would have placed the Warriors in an impossible situation. Instead, they completely let up in the 2nd half, and the Warriors (especially Steph Curry) capitalized. As a result, we have a 2-2 series, and the home court shifts back to the Warriors. Granted, the Celtics did win Game One on the road, but had they won Game Four, they would have only had to do it one more time to win the whole thing. Because of this loss, the Celtics may need both of the remaining trips to the Bay Area to get it done, especially if they fail to steal Game Five.

Game Five is Monday in San Francisco.

If you like this story and, click the heart, and click the subscribe button for more of my stories! Tips and pledges would be greatly appreciated, as they help support my writing, but only if you want to do so!