Game 1 of the NBA Finals was nothing short of an entertainment masterpiece. For, I would say, 90% of the game NBA Fans were sure that Golden State would be taking the game, seeing as they were pretty much dominating, and leading the game heading into the fourth quarter. Stephen Curry was having a monster night, and it seemed that everything was working out for the Warriors. There is a saying however that goes, “it ain’t over until the fat lady sings”. The Celtics didn’t hear any singing, so they got to work.
The Warriors were hurt by the fact that they had Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green on the floor, both defensive-minded players who aren’t the best-scoring finishers. This allowed the Celtics to focus less on these two and more on double-teaming Golden State’s big guns. This tactic obviously worked seeing as the Celtics got off to a 17-0 run in the fourth quarter, virtually sinking all of Golden State’s hopes of taking game 1.
The epic comeback had the NBA world in shock and proved that the Celtics were here to play. Will it be the same story in game 2? That all depends on the lineup the Warriors decide on. The Celtics, as we have seen throughout the playoffs, are one of, if not the, best defensive team in the NBA. If the Warriors want to penetrate the Boston D, they will need to head for a smaller, faster lineup, maybe even leaning on young stars such as Jordan Poole, Jonatha Kuminga, and Gary Payton II start, to throw the Celtics off.
The small-ball tactics Golden State will use will throw off the Boston D, causing them to leave Steph Curry or Klay Thompson in a one-on-one situation, as opposed to getting double-teamed. If the Celtics want to win, all they have to do is go back to the drawing board and do what has worked for them throughout these entire NBA playoffs.
The Celtics have come up winners whenever they have allowed Jayson Tatum to take over, and when they’ve ground away, winning with their intensity and defensive focus. This game is no different. Allow Tatum to shoulder the offensive load while the others can grind away on the defensive side of the ball. When Tatum starts getting double-teamed, you have open guys in Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, and Marcus Smart to get the ball too.
By allowing Tatum to get hot in the first quarter, you are shifting Golden State’s focus to one player, allowing the others to shine in the process. All in all, this should be a great game, and I’m looking forward to seeing who comes out on top.