Steph Curry is a three-time NBA champion, all-time record three-point scorer and a two-time MVP but the 34-year-old looks better than ever in the 2022 NBA Finals. The No30 put up a mammoth 43 points to carry Golden State’s offense on his shoulders in the TD Garden to quell the Boston crowd in Game 4. Curry sunk 7 of his 14 three-point attempts, typically coming at crucial times in the game to silence the rambunctious Boston crowd. The point guard finished with a double-double following 43 points and 10 rebounds to clinch a Game 4 win. Unbelievably, there’s a sense in some critical quarters that Curry still has a point to prove in a NBA Finals series. Although he’s won the Championship three times, he’s done so with a superior team and missed out on the Finals MVP three times (once to Andre Iguodala and twice to Kevin Durant). But Curry is averaging 34.3 points on 50 per cent shooting in the 2022 NBA Finals playing on a team that is inferior to Boston’s squad. That’s comfortably superior to his Finals average of 26.5 points. There’s little doubt Curry is fired up.

Brave Kerr Calls

Steve Kerr (Photo: headlinephotos / Marty Jean-Louis / depositphotos.com)

Steve Kerr earned his $8.7m salary (just like Curry earned his $53.8m pay packet) in Game 4 with some crunch decisions throughout the 48 minutes in Boston. Kerr made the brave decision to bench Draymond Green in the fourth quarter as the 33-year-old continued to struggle up against Boston’s offense. Kevon Looney has been Golden State’s best defender in this series and in the post-season – and Kerr had the courage to go with the form player rather than one of his stars. The Golden State head coach conceded that he made a mistake in Game 3 by not giving Looney enough minutes. “I didn’t play Looney enough in Game 3. That was my mistake,” Kerr said of Looney’s 17 minutes in Game 3. Looney played 28 minutes in Game 4 and it paid off.

Tentative Tatum

Jayson Tatum (Photo: ChinaImages / IMAGINECHINA LIMITED / depositphotos.com)

At the end of the first quarter, it looked like we were gearing up for a Curry vs Tatum matchup. The Boston star had 12 points and the Celtics were in position with a three-point lead. But Tatum’s shooting faltered in the final 36 minutes. Tatum finished with 23 points but the No0 was just 34.8% from the field and had six of Boston’s 16 total turnovers. Asked about Tatum’s struggles post-match, Marcus Smart said: “We are telling him ‘we trust you and we believe in you’. Jayson has to figure it out. He will”. Tatum knows that he needs to improve. “It’s on me. I’ve got to be better,” Tatum said. “I know I’m impacting the game in other ways, but I’ve got to be more efficient, shoot the ball better, finish at the rim better.”

Wholesome Wiggins

While Curry has been dominating for the Warriors, Wiggins deserve a mention. The former Minnesota Timberwovles star played a key supporting role to help put Golden State in position to take the lead in the series for the first time on Monday night. Wiggins finished with 17 points with two three-pointers made and 42% shooting in the field. His most notable stat was a career-best 16 rebounds to help the Warriors dominate the glass. Wiggins was superb guarding Luka Doncic in the Western Conference Finals but the 27-year-old made more of an impact in a make-or-break night for the Dubs. He added in some clutch points at the end of the fourth quarter to help get the Warriors over the line.

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We’re still waiting for Jayson Tatum to produce a truly, dominant performance in the NBA Finals but the Boston Celtics have Jaylen Brown to thank for their Game 3 win. The 25-year-old finished with 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists to help the Celtics secure a 2-1 series lead. Brown had a confrontation with Draymond Green in Game 2 and the Celtics team appeared ruffled by the Warriors talisman’s antics. Brown was focused and held his nerve in the third game of the series despite Green attempting to get under his skin. Brown has faced some questions about his ability to thrive under pressure in the past but the former no3 pick excelled. “I feel like I can get by any defender in front of me,” Brown said. “Our team is in a position to win some games and do something special. Coming out and putting our best foot forward is what we’ve got to do”. You’d expect a Warriors’ response on Friday night but it’s difficult to see how they’ll stop Brown given their size limitations.

Splash Brothers Find Their Range

Klay Thompson (Photo: NBAE/Getty Images)

Klay Thompson struggled badly in Game 2 despite the Warriors managing to etch out a win to level the series. The Warriors No11 was back to his sharpshooting best in Boston which is an encouraging sign for Steve Kerr as we go deeper into the NBA Finals. The 32-year-old found his range with a couple of early three pointers – and Thompson didn’t look back. It was vintage Splash Brothers as the duo combined for 11 total threes to keep Golden State competitive. Curry played a crucial role in a seven-point swing in the third quarter which helped the Warriors secure their first lead of the night at 83-82. However, Curry’s 31 points and Thompson’s 25 points wasn’t enough to fire the California franchise to an incredible comeback win. The Dubs will be hoping that there’s more to come ahead of Game 4.

Williams & Williams

Brown may have finished as Boston’s top scorer in Game 3 but Robert Williams III was perhaps the decisive player in their 116-100 win. The centre’s height and power was too much for Green, Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney and Otto Porter Jr were unable to contend with Williams. The 24-year-old had eight points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in a dominant performance in the paint on either end of the court. The Golden State’s lack of size was a talking point throughout the post-season and continues to a weak link in the NBA Finals (so far). Boston dominated the pain despite Williams clearly struggling with a knee injury. “I think it’s a matter of playing through pain,” Williams said. “Obviously, not getting the time off that I need for this injury. But … we’ll focus on that after the season.” His namesake Grant Williams contributed a valuable 10 points to play his part as a bench player in their win.

Warriors Sweat On Curry Injury

Steph Curry (Photo: NBAE/Getty Images)

There was a worrying moment in the fourth quarter when Al Horford dived on a loose ball competing with Curry. The Peurto Rican landed on the Golden State star’s ankle, which took the full weight of the 240lb Boston defender. Curry was clearly in discomfort on the floor and for a moment, it appeared the Warriors could be in serious trouble. However, the No30 looked to be ok as he played more minutes in the fourth quarter before Kerr emptied his bench with the game out of reach. “I’m gonna be alright. I got caught underneath Al. Obviously, will be in some pain, but I’ll be alright. See how I feel tomorrow and get ready for Friday,” Curry said. Golden State will be sweating on Curry’s injury ahead of Game 4 because without the three-time NBA champion, their offense will be catastrophically blunted.

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Steph Curry led the scoring in Game 2 with 29 points as the 34-year-old came alive in the second half at the Chase Centre. If you were a Warriors fan, you’d have been worried about Steve Kerr’s men with Boston going toe-to-toe with Golden State and Curry not as prolific as Game 1. But the two-time MVP finished with five three-pointers, six rebounds and four assists in San Francisco to inspire a blowout win over Boston. Curry hit some crucial three-pointers, especially two at the end of the third quarter to deflate Boston. The three-time champion hit a 27-footer before he sunk a 31-footer on the next play to get the Chase Centre on their feet.

Peak Green

Draymond Green (Photo: NBAE/Getty Images)

While Curry continues to excel in the NBA Finals, Draymond Green’s performance was perhaps most notable in Game 2. It wasn’t for his shooting, his rebounding or necessarily defensive plays but the power forward’s ability to get under the skin of the Boston players. Jaylen Brown made a mercurial start in the first quarter with 18 points to continue his momentum from Game 1. But Green’s mouthing off and a particular altercation with Brown appeared to unsettle the Boston shooting guard. Al Horford was excellent in the opener in San Francisco but defended aggressively by Green, the veteran faltered. Green tussled with Grant Williams – too. Noone was safe from the Golden State’s talisman as he even appeared to irk Boston head coach Ime Udoka. Green did pick up a technical foul and heading to the Garden this week, it’ll be a test of the No23’s ability to walk the line when faced with what will be a raucous Boston stadium.

Boston’s Third Quarter Woes

If we based the NBA Finals on the third quarter, Golden State would be leading 73-38. Of course, Boston had a remarkable comeback at the end of the third quarter and in the fourth quarter in Game 1 but Udoka’s men left themselves with too much to do in Game 2. Boston have managed to keep pace with Golden State’s shooting in the opening half of both games but they’ve made poor start to the second halves in Game 1 and Game 2. “It’s something we have to fix,” Celtics center Horford said. Boston had 19 turnovers in comparison to Golden State’s 12 and it was another key talking point post-match. “I think tonight, turnovers, and I think sometimes letting our offense affect how we defend, kind of was a little stagnant in the third quarter,” said Jayson Tatum.

No Fun For Thompson At Poole Party

Klay Thompson (Photo: NBAE/Getty Images)

There was a lot of positives for Golden State with Curry’s three-point shooting, Green at his best, Gary Peyton II back on court and Jordan Poole showing signs of the player who lit up the regular season. But Kerr will be worried by Thompson’s patchy performances. The No11 finished with 4-19 shooting to post 11 points in Game 2. While Kerr rested most of his starters with the victory in the bag in the fourth quarter, the Golden State head coach left Thompson on the court in the hope of the 32-year-old finding his rhythm – but he struggled badly. On the flip side, Poole came to the party with 5-9 from three-point range to end up with 17 points.

Game 3?

Next up we’ve got Game 3 in Boston – what can we expect? Marcus Smart hasn’t come alive in Game 1 or Game 2 despite earning praise for his leadership in their 120-108 win in San Francisco last week. You’d expect the point guard to thrive in front of the Garden. Boston have lost both of their first games at home in the second round and the Eastern Conference Finals so could there be some nerves in front of an expectant fanbase desperate to secure a first title since 2008. You’d expect Boston to be better and Udoka’s side have continuously bounced back from adversity in the post-season by bouncing back from a defeat.

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The Golden State Warriors looked to be easing to a Game 1 win in the third quarter when the California franchise led by as many as 14 points and finished with 38 points in the third quarter in comparison to Boston’s 20. But Boston came roaring back in the fourth quarter led by Jaylen Brown. The Celtics No7 completed an impressive sequence of play when he made a huge block on Kevon Looney before he went coast-to-coast to dunk down the other end. It set the tone for Boston’s comeback that left the Warriors stunned. Brown scored 24 points with seven rebounds and five assists for the Celtics, while he was supported by Derrick White, Al Hoford to wrestle away control of Game 1 from Golden State.

Chef Curry Can’t Whip Up Win

Klay Thompson (Photo: headlinephotos / Marty Jean-Louis / depositphotos.com)

We were treated to vintage Steph Curry in the first quarter and throughout most of Game 1. He scored 21 points in the third quarter with 6 of 8 3-pointers. It was Curry’s best-ever performance in a single quarter in the NBA Finals, while it was the best return of any player in a NBA Finals quarter since Michael Jordan in 1993. Curry broke his own record (which was shared with Ray Allen and Kenny Smith) of five 3-pointers in a Finals quarter. It wasn’t just his shooting from distance as Curry was playing with supreme confidence and he danced to the rim and showcased his mesmerizing handling. The No30 finished with 34 points but it wasn’t sufficient to get the Warriors over the line. It was a mercurial performance from Curry but his supporting cast weren’t quite able to match his heroics.

Boston Barrage In Q4

With 12 minutes left to play, it looked like the Warriors had done it again by dominating a third quarter to extend their lead into double figures and set themselves up for a comfortable win. But what Chase Centre didn’t expect was a Boston barrage in Q4 to squash Golden State. Boston scored 40 points and the Warriors managed just 16. Brown was brilliant but Horford and White were clinical from three-point range and it was the difference. There are few teams that can go toe-to-toe with the Warriors from distance but the Celtics have sufficient weapons in the starting IV and bench to punish Golden State. Much was made of the chasm in NBA Finals experience between the two teams. The Warriors team had 123 NBA Finals appearances but the Celtics had none. It made no difference as Boston held their nerve and it was the veterans who crumbled.

What Next For Kerr & Co?

Jordan Poole (Photo: Golden State Warriors / YouTube / Screengrab)

The Warriors slumped to their first post-season loss at Chase Centre. They’re now 9-1 ahead of Game 2 on Sunday night. It felt like the Warriors gave their best punch in the opening three quarters but Celtics managed to hang around before mounting their sensational comeback. Jordan Poole hasn’t really got going in the post-season apart from some early flurries against Denver Nuggets in the first round. Kerr will want to see more from Poole. Andrew Wiggins had a good game but he wasn’t as dominant as he was against Dallas Mavericks. Gary Payton II was cleared to play after recovering from a broken elbow but he didn’t feature but perhaps there’ll be room for his defensive abilities as the series progresses.

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It could have gone to Andrew Wiggins or Kevon Looney, but the very first Western Conference Finals MVP award went to Steph Curry for his effort throughout the series. Curry finished with an average of 23.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.4 rebounds to play a key role in helping Golden State reach the NBA Finals that start on 2 June. Curry’s selfless approach helped bring out the best in his other team-mates throughout the postseason. The No30 is a three-time NBA champion but Curry has never won the NBA Finals MVP which is something his detractors have held against him in terms of his NBA legacy. Could this be the year? If Golden State are going to beat Boston or Miami then you’d expect Curry to play a huge role.

Thompson Shines

Klay Thompson (Photo: headlinephotos / Marty Jean-Louis / depositphotos.com)

Klay Thompson has struggled somewhat shooting from three-point distance in the Western Conference Finals. The No11 has enjoyed some productive third quarters throughout the series with Dallas but Thompson hasn’t been his usual mercurial self. Thompson, of course, returned from a two-year lay-off earlier this year and the three-time NBA champion is still working his way back to his very best. We saw Game 6 Klay shine earlier this month to help the Warriors get over the line in the semi-finals. Thompson led the rally in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals to help Golden State close out the series and book their place in the NBA finals. Thompson finished with 32 points and eight threes.

Anyone for a Poole party?

Jordan Poole (Photo: Golden State Warriors / YouTube / Screengrab)

We haven’t had a proper Poole party in the Western Conference Finals but Jordan Poole was in the mood in Game 5. The 23-year-old scored 16 points from the bench to help the Warriors reach their sixth NBA finals in eight years. Poole hasn’t been quite as efficient in this series but Poole made Dallas pay the price for some of their defensive shortcomings. With Boston and Miami two of the best defensive teams in the NBA, Poole will have a major role to play in disrupting either of these units in the NBA Finals alongside Curry and Thompson.

Golden State Survive Dallas’ Third Quarter Comeback

The team that has won the third quarter won each of the previous four games in the Western Conference Finals. So when Dallas rallied in the third quarter on Thursday night to cut Golden State’s lead to single digits, the Chase Centre got to its feet to encourage the Warriors to resist a late Mavericks resurgence. Spencer Dimwiddy and Luka Doncic put up 26 and 28 respectively to keep the San Francisco franchise.

First NBA Finals since 2019

Steph Curry (Photo: headlinephotos / Marty Jean-Louis / depositphotos.com)

Golden State are back in their first Conference finals since 2019 when an injury-plagued Warriors lost in six games to the Toronto Raptors. It heralded the end of Steve Kerr’s first Warriors dynasty as Kevin Durant headed to Brooklyn Nets and Boogie Cousins departed the Bay Area. Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston departed as key bench players for Kerr. However, Kerr has rebuilt the Warriors with some exciting young talent such as Poole and Wiggins, complemented by the experience of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green. Next up, it’s either the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat. Kerr will be able to breathe a sigh of relief as he can protect Curry, Thompson and Green while the two teams battle it out in the east. As Green said, no one expected this Warriors threesome to be back in another NBA Finals as many described the trio as past their peak and in decline. Now the Splash Brothers and Green have a chance to win number four.

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We’ll have a Game 5 in San Francisco later this week as Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks’ to a 10-point victory over the Golden State Warriors. The Slovenian finished with another 30-point haul to continue his excellent form in the post-season. Doncic ended the elimination game with 30 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocks. It was an all-action display from the All-Star who had more freedom in Game 4 as Andrew Wiggins was less effective working on the 23-year-old. Doncic has already developed a reputation for being a big-time player thanks to his performances in elimination games in his limited NBA playoff appearances so far, averaging 36.6 points per game which is a league record.

‘The Others’ Come To The Party

Luka Doncic (Photo: ChinaImages / IMAGINECHINA LIMITED / depositphotos.com)

The odds are it was going to happen at some point in the Western Conference Finals. The Dallas Mavericks showed supreme three-point shooting at the back end of their series with the Phoenix Suns to eliminate the number one seed. “The Others” came to the party in a rain-drenched American Airlines Centre on Tuesday night. Led by Reggie Bullock, Luka Doncic’s supporting cast dispatched the Golden State Warriors with ease. Bullock hit 6 of his 10 three-point attempts to post 18 points, Dorian Finney-Smith finished with 23 points with four three-point shots. Jalun Brunson contributed 15 points with five field goals. The Mavs’ bench contributed 33 points as Max Kleber, David Bertans, Spencer Dimwiddie and Frank Ntilikina all contributed at least one three-point shot. The Warriors defense was as leaky as the American Airlines Centre roof and Dallas made it rain.

Kuminga Leads Bench Rally

Steve Kerr used every player who travelled to Dallas as the Golden State Warriors head coach continued to show his willingness to utilize his squad. While it was a disappointing night for the Bay Area side, Kerr can take some comfort from the performances of his rookies Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. The former scored 17 points in an impressive display from the 20-year-old as well as eight defensive rebounds. Kerr opted to empty his bench in the final minutes of the third quarter and they repaid their head coach’s faith by reducing a 29-point deficit to just eight points with three minutes to go before Jason Kidd’s side kept the Warriors at bay. It’ll give Kerr plenty to think about ahead of Game 5.

Bizarre/Sad Night At American Airlines Centre

The leak in the American Airlines Arena’s roof (Photo: TNT/ Screengrab)

It was a strange night at the American Airlines Centre as a leaky roof caused a long delay at the start of the third quarter. The leak was directly on the court as towels were used to mop up the moisture and a temporary tarp system was set up to catch the water. It was a bizarre sight to see an NBA franchise resort to towels and tarp to stop a leak in what is one of the biggest leagues in the world. Draymond Green had a free-throw attempt that got caught at the back of the rim, with TNT commentator Reggie Miller remarking that such an incident wouldn’t happen in a 1,000 attempts even if a basketballer was trying to make it happen. Doncic was showcasing his trickshots during breaks in play. Of course, we can’t omit the tragic school shooting, where 21 people (19 children) were murdered, that occurred around 400 miles from Dallas earlier on Tuesday. Kerr made an impassioned plea to the US Congress in a powerful pre-match media conference here.

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Game 4 was decided in the first five or six minutes of the first quarter. Miami Heat started with 0-14 shooting to leave the number one seed with an uphill battle at the TD Garden. It was the worst shooting start by an NBA team in the NBA Playoffs in 25 years. With two minutes to go in the second quarter, Kyle Lowry, Max Straus, PJ Tucker were 0-11, with Bam Adebayor contributing a point from the free-throw line and Jimmy Butler with six points from eight attempted shots. Victor Oladipo was their leading goal-scorer from the bench to highlight just how inept Erik Spolestra’s starting IV had been shooting the ball. It was remarkably poor from a Miami side that put up 43 points in the first quarter in Game 3. It was a long road back into Game 4 and it wasn’t a surprise that Spolestra’s side left themselves with too much to do despite a fourth-quarter rally from their bench players to reduce the deficit to 20 points.

Tatum responds

Jayson Tatum (Photo: ChinaImages / IMAGINECHINA LIMITED / depositphotos.com)

Jayson Tatum struggled badly in Game 3 as the All-Star finished with 10 points in Boston’s 109-103 defeat by the Heat. He responded in Game 4 with a strong showing that put the hosts in control of a crucial game for The Celtics. Tatum finished the first half with 24 of Boston’s 57 points, with six field goals, 12 free throws and eight rebounds in an All-Star performance. The 24-year-old was able to take his foot off the pedal in the second half and added a further seven points to his haul as Ime Udoka had the luxury of resting Tatum following their dominant start.

“Age Is Just A Number”

Al Horford brought a sense of calm to the Boston team as 35-year-old stepped up to produce a spectacular defensive display for Udoka in Game 4. The No42 defied his age with his sheer athleticism, finishing with 13 rebounds and 4 blocks to prove dominant on the defense end of the game. We’ve seen some of his shooting ability in the post-season but Horford was particularly impressive in smothering the Heat’s offense to ensure the number one seed couldn’t get going in Game 4. The Puerto Rican had five points and contributed three assists but his leadership in the absence of Marcus Smart can’t be quantified.

Oladipo Offers Hope

While little went right for the Heat in the first half, Victor Oladipo was a bright spark for an otherwise underwhelming Miami team. The former Indiana Pacer has been blighted by injury over the past couple of years and Oladipo had only played eight games for Miami in the regular season before the NBA Playoffs started. Miami’s starters struggled badly but Oladipo brought some energy and composure to the Heat that was badly missing. The Miami No4 continues to play himself back into form as Oladipo continues his rehabilitation from surgery. He hit 23 points in 30 minutes of action, sinking four of his attempted seven three-pointers and creating four assists.

Where Does This Leave The Series?

Jimmy Butler (Photo: headlinephotos / Marty Jean-Louis / depositphotos.com)

The Eastern Conference Finals has been a story of runs in quarters and halves so far. There hasn’t been a really close game – yet. Miami pulled away in Game 1 thanks to an impressive third quarter, Boston made a dominant start in Game 2, the Heat eased into a commanding lead in Game 3 despite the Celtics threatening to come back in Q3 before the 17-time NBA champions had a sizable lead throughout Game 4 so it was never a contest. While Boston’s beatdown of Miami may leave some scars, both teams have already responded in this series from a massive setback. You could envisage Butler and company responding in Game 5 at the ATX Arena. As a neutral, a close-fought game with the lead swapping hands regularly would be a welcome change on Wednesday night.

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Steph Curry has played well in the Western Conference Finals without dominating a game. The Warriors point guard came to the fore in Game 3 in Dallas.There was a sense that the two-time MVP was in control of Game 3 throughout as he dictated Golden State’s offense. He finished with 31 points, 11 assists and five rebounds to contribute to their road win. Curry dispatched 5 of his 10 three-point attempts and they tended to come at crucial points of Game 3 to dishearten Dallas when there was a sniff of a resurgence. Encouragingly, the Warriors No30 was 100% from the free-throw line, something which we’ve come to expect from Curry throughout his career but hasn’t been present in the latter half of the season and in the NBA Playoffs.

Wiggins Continues To Improve

ANDREW WIGGINS

Unreal. pic.twitter.com/GcYJNKrlqk

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 23, 2022

The highlight of Game 3 was undoubtedly Andrew Wiggins’ stunning dunk over Luka Doncic in Q4. Remarkably, the former number one pick continues to be more aggressive and more dominant as the Western Conference Finals progresses. It’s clear Wiggins is a player whose confidence is brimming as more plaudits come his way. Much-maligned at the Minnesota Timberwolves, Steve Kerr, his coaching staff and the Warriors’ experienced players have successfully integrated Wiggins into Golden State’s set up and he’s playing like a man with a point to prove. Wiggins finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds and played more minutes than any other member of Golden State’s starting lineup. His aggressiveness and clinical shooting is all the more impressive when you consider he’s been assigned to Luka Doncic.

Dallas Shooting Deserts Them

Dallas found their shooting range in Game 2 in San Francisco but it still wasn’t good enough. The Mavericks produced a performance more akin to Game 1 than Game 2 on Sunday night in Dallas. Aside from Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dimwiddy, the hosts were pretty abysmal shooting the ball. They made just 30 of their 75 attempted field goals, with a 28% three-point conversion rate. Reggie Bullock ended up with 0-10 and Maxi Kleber finished 0-5 to underline their poor shooting, with Davis Bertans unable to contribute from distance.

Doncic’s 40-point Haul

Luka Doncic (Photo: ChinaImages / IMAGINECHINA LIMITED / depositphotos.com)

Doncic hit 40 points yet again but it didn’t prove enough to get The Mavs over the line and Dallas face four consecutive elimination games if they’re going to progress. Only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain have managed as many 40-point games in their first 25 games under the age of 23 as Doncic. The Slovenian is in good company. The TNT camera picked out Dallas legend Dirk Nowitzki towards the end of the fourth quarter and a stat flashed up that highlighted Doncic is just one 40-point tally shy of equalling the German’s eight 40-point games in the Playoffs. But Dirk won seven of those eight games, Luka has one just one of his seven. Doncic has been incredible throughout the regular season and the post-season but even this Slovenian giant can’t carry his team to the NBA Finals.

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Bam Adebayo was the difference in Game 3, playing 42 minutes which was the most of any Heat player at the TD Garden. He was relatively quiet in Game 1 and Game 2, contributing just eight points in both Playoffs games. Adebayo had 20 points by the start of Q3, thanks to his aggressive approach. With Jimmy Butler sidelined and Miami not offering a lot offensively as Boston started to erode their 20-point lead in the final two quarters, Adebayo scored some crucial points to keep the Celtics at bay. The 24-year-old produced a clutch shot towards the end of fourth quarter to quell the home crowd with help from Max Strus’ three just moments after Boston had cut Miami’s lead to a point. Adebayo finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a monster game.

Tale Of Turnovers

It was a quirk of the first two games that the team who surged into a commanding Q1 and Q2 lead ended up losing. This wasn’t the case in Game 3 despite Boston showing some fight in the second half as the Heat held on to secure a hard-fought win by a six-point margin. Miami were mercurial in the first half with clinical shooting, racking up a number of impressive steals and capitalizing on Boston’s turnovers. While Miami were brilliant, Boston’s hopeless turnovers aided the visiting team. The Celtics finished with 24 turnovers, of which Jaylen Brown was responsible for seven. It made his 40-point haul all the more remarkable as the No7 could do little wrong when shooting the ball but made some poor decisions when asked to distribute it. Even when Boston had clawed back the deficit, they still had some lapses in judgment to get the ball back in the hands of the Heat. Miami finished with a franchise record 19 steals but Boston will feel they handed Game 3 to the Heat some what.

Brave Smart Can’t Inspire Comeback

Marcus Smart (Photo: headlinephotos / Marty Jean-Louis / depositphotos.com)

The Eastern Conference Finals has been a tale of injuries and illnesses so far. Marcus Smart and Al Horford returned for the Boston Celtics at the ATX Area in Game 2 and inspired a stunning resurgence following the second seeds’ loss in their absence in Game 1. Kyle Lowry was back in the Miami Heat starting lineup for Game 3 in the TD Garden and the No7 played a big part. Butler has excelled in the NBA Playoffs but the No22 was forced to sit out the second half with a knee inflammation. The 32-year-old has been a key player for Erik Spoelstra and Heat fans will be hoping it was merely precautionary seeing as Butler did miss a game earlier in the postseason with a knee concern. The most uncomfortable moment of Game 3 came when Smart was left on the floor audibly groaning in agony following a collision with Lowry. Let’s not forget that Smart missed Game 1 with an ankle sprain. So when the NBA Defensive Player Of The Year was forced down the locker room after turning his ankle at the start of Q3, it didn’t look good. Unlike Butler, Smart did manage to get back out on the court and was met by a raucous TD Garden crowd before the 28-year-old sunk a three-point effort minutes later. He certainly reignited Boston and their fans for a time in Q3 and Q4 before their carless turnovers and Miami’s clutch shooting denied Smart and the Celtics a remarkable comeback. There was more concern for Boston when Jayson Tatum appeared to hurt his shoulder in the fourth quarter, although he did finish out Game 3.

Oladipo Snatches Win

We can’t talk about Miami’s six-point victory without giving a mention to Victor Oladipo. The 30-year-old didn’t feature at all in the first half but Spolestra turned to Oladipo at the start of the third quarter when it became apparent Butler wouldn’t feature again in Game 3. It’s doubtful the Miami head coach anticipated Oladipo would have such a say on the outcome of the game but the former Pacer was superb. He proved a thorn in Boston’s offense after successfully completing four steals in just 20 minutes, equalling the efforts of Adebayo and Lowry. He contributed three big free throws to finish with a total of five points that proved the difference between the two teams.

Welcome Return For Lowry

Lowry is an experienced member of the Miami Heat team and his presence was missed in the first two games. He started Game 3 and the former Toronto Raptor shooting guard was required to play more Spolestra would have wanted following Butler’s half-time departure. He ended up with 29 minutes and shot 11 points but it was his calm head and ability to steal the ball that really helped Miami claim this Game 3 win. With some ring rust out of his system, Lowry will be hoping to add contribute more points in Game 4 next week, getting closer to his average of 15.0 points, 6.6 assists and 4.9 rebounds when he was part of the Toronto Raptors side that won the NBA Championship in 2019.

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“Game 2 MVP?” That’s the question NBA legend Reggie Miller was asking his co-commentator Steve van Gundy as Kevon Looney recorded a career-high 21 points on Friday night. The response: “game of his life”. For those who have been following Looney’s career at Golden State, the 26-year-old’s work ethic and honest application has never been questioned. But surely even Steve Kerr didn’t think Looney could have such an influence on a Playoff game on the front board as the no5 sparked Golden State’s second-half resurgence. He reached a career high 21 points and 10 rebounds with more than 7 minutes to go in Game 2, prompting Kerr to give Looney a heartfelt hug at the timeout after he even sunk a free throw to finish with personal-best tally. “It’s just fun having a good night like that,” Looney said after Golden State’s 126-117 win. “Leading a comeback like that is something you dream about as a kid. I got MVP chants so that was pretty cool. I’m going to cherish that one, I might not get another one so I’m going to have to cherish that one.”

Donic’s 42 Points Still Not Enough

Luka Doncic (Photo: ChinaImages / IMAGINECHINA LIMITED / depositphotos.com)

Sporting his scar from a scratch to the face in Game 1, Luka Doncic set the tone early in the first quarter with 18 points. To put that haul in context, the MVP contender had 20 in Game 1. Golden State couldn’t cope with the irrepressible Slovenian and it was all very one-sided. The supporting cast decided to turn up on Friday night as Doncic was even afforded a 20-minute rest in the second quarter with the bench players keeping their foot on the Warriors’ neck. In typical Doncic fashion, the 23-year-old silenced the home crowd at the end of the first half with a long distance three to end a Warriors run with the No3 seeds threatening to close the lead to less than 10 points. But the Warriors came storming back in the second half as Doncic and his Mavs team-mates attempted to take on Looney, a strategy that failed in Game 1 and ultimately failed in Game 2, too. Doncic’s 42 points weren’t sufficient to inspire the Mavs past the Warriors ahead of their return to Dallas on Sunday night.

Wiggins Continues To Be Aggressive

While another stellar performance was overshadowed by “MVP” Looney, Wiggins was aggressive once again to prove a thorn in the side of Dallas. The former No1 draft pick was one of the talking points from Game 1 as the No22 looked to take on Doncic in the paint while thwarting the Slovenian at the other end. It worked. He continued to be aggressive in Game 2 to suggest that this is a new-look Wiggins. The 27-year-old made a key three-point shot to move the Warriors to within two points of Dallas with 47 seconds to play at the end of Q3. There is still room from improvement for Wiggins, especially from the free-throw line after missing three of four, and he will need to maintain his new approach to Playoff basketball when the Warriors travel to the cauldron that will be the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Q3 Warriors

Steph Curry (Photo: headlinephotos / Marty Jean-Louis / depositphotos.com)

It was one of the talking points from Game 1 but the Warriors surged back into Game 2 thanks to an outstanding third quarter. Down 19, Golden State were struggling to make a dent into the Mavericks’ commanding lead. Enter Q3 Warriors. The four-time NBA champions went on a 38-18 run in third quarter and start of the fourth quarter to take their first lead of the game. If you were to take out Q3 in Game 1 and Game 2 then Dallas would be 2-0 up in this series. In Texas, the Warriors may find it more challenging to mount a stunning comeback in front of a rambunctious Dallas arena.

Sharp Shooting

The Dallas Mavericks have lived and died by their three-point shooting in the post-season so far. Their shooting from distance is what ultimately decided their series against the no1 seeds, Phoenix Suns. Dallas didn’t find their range in Game 1 and it allowed the Warriors to ease to a commanding half. However, the Mavs made 15 of their 27 attempted three-point shots in the first half alone to comfortably surpass their 11 successful three-point shots in the whole of Game 1. While Dallas were clinical from three-point range in the first half on Friday night, they tailed off somewhat in the second 24-minute period. The Mavs finished with 21-45 from three-point distance so hit just six of 18 in Q3 and Q4. Doncic will inevitably put up big numbers but the question for Dallas is whether Doncic’s supporting cast can maintain a high three-point shooting percentage throughout this series?

Draymond Green (Photo: TNT / Screengrab)

Other notes:

• Otto Porter Jr gets an honorable mention with a valuable contribution in Q4.

• Curry’s shooting has been a little hit and miss by his high standards in 2022 but the No30 finished with 32 points and encouragingly 100% from the free-throw line.

• The Dallas bench continued to encroach on the court and it has been an issue in the post-season with two fines already. It appeared to play a part in Game 2 when Curry thought he was passing to a team-mate but it was instead a Dallas player.

• Davis Bertans riled up the Warriors with an incident involving Damion Lee in Q2 and the Warriors took issue with Draymond Green and Jordan Poole particularly irate with the Frenchman. This could be a simmering battle.

• Green walked the tightrope after an early technical before he fouled out towards the end of Q4. With Looney in supreme form, Green’s absence wasn’t missed but after his flagrant foul 2 against Memphis, he needs to be cautious as another flagrant foul 2 would result in suspension.

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