The Boston Celtics took Game 1 of the NBA Finals after a 40-16 fourth-quarter demolition, and after building an early nine-point lead in Game 2, they looked as though they were well on their way to a championship. And then, the Golden State Warriors' defense arrived to the party. After scoring their first 16 points in under five minutes, the Celtics managed to score just 72 more the rest of the game in a 107-88 loss.
Boston still has the advantage. After winning Game 1, the Celtics stole home-court advantage in the series. Take three home games and the Celtics become NBA champions. That's easier said than done. The Warriors have won at least one road game in their past 26 playoff series. Their first chance at extending that streak to 27 is Wednesday night. Here's how you can tune into Game 3 of the Finals.
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Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics
- When: Wednesday, June 8 | 9 p.m. ET
- Where: TD Garden -- Boston, Massachusetts
- TV: ABC | Live stream: fuboTV (Get access now)
- Odds: GS +130; BOS -150; O/U 213 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Who, besides Stephen Curry, is going to score for Golden State in this series? Curry's 63 points more than double any of his teammates, with second-place Andrew Wiggins scoring just 31 points thus far in the Finals. Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson are averaging just 13 points per game each, far below their scoring outputs earlier in the playoffs. Curry is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, but he can't be the only Warrior to put the ball in the basket.
The Celtics have been spectacular at two things this postseason: winning on the road and winning after losses. They are 6-0 following defeats in the postseason and 8-3 on the road. At home? They're just 5-4, and after wins? They're 6-6, including a Game 2 loss. The Celtics don't just want to win this series. They want to win it as quickly as possible. They saw against Miami how dangerous things can get when you play with your food. If they want to take a 3-1 lead back to San Francisco, they'll have to win two home games and win one game after a victory. The Celtics are used to playing with their backs against the wall. Now, we'll see how they handle being a favorite.
Prediction, picks
Boston's Game 2 mistakes were fairly correctable. Daniel Theis has likely played himself out of the rotation. The Celtics will have a better approach to Golden State's pick-and-roll offense. Until a Warrior besides Curry proves capable of scoring, Boston should be considered the heavy favorite in this game. The pick: Celtics -3.5
