Warriors Dominate Celtics 107-88, Tie the NBA Finals at One Game Apiece

SAN FRANCISCO-NBA Finals

The Golden State Warriors were looking to avoid a 2-0 deficit in the NBA Finals at home. Boston has been red hot on the road in the playoffs. They were looking to take a big series advantage and head back to Boston with all the momentum. 

First Quarter

The first quarter saw both teams get off to fast starts. Boston started off the game jumping off to a quick 13-5 lead. Golden State found its stride by going on a 10-2 scoring run. The run cut the Boston lead to just one point. The Warriors and Celtics were trading baskets for the rest of the quarter. Golden State saw themselves with a 31-30 lead after the first. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 13 points for the Celtics. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 10 points.

Second Quarter

The second quarter saw playoff basketball come to life. Both teams were locking down on the defensive side of the floor. With seven minutes to go in the quarter, Golden State hit a hot streak on offense. They went on a 10-0 scoring run to take a 5-point lead. Boston responded with a 6-0 scoring run of their own. They again traded baskets in the final minutes of the quarter. Throughout the first half, Boston struggled to take care of the ball. They had 11 turnovers, compared to the Warriors 5. Heading into halftime, the Warriors led 52-50.

Third Quarter

Either team was looking to start off the second half on fire. Just under 2 minutes into the quarter, there was a small altercation. Derrick White of the Celtics blocked the shot of Jordan Poole. He proceeded to jump over him to get back into the play. Poole stuck up his arms while White was jumping over him, and play was stopped. The play went to official review and neither player was penalized with a technical foul. Shortly after that point the Warriors began to take over. Through the last 5 minutes of the quarter, Golden State outscored Boston 19-5. Jordan Poole capped off the scoring with an incredible half-court shot at the buzzer. The Warriors took a commanding 87-64 lead after three quarters.

Fourth Quarter

The Warriors got off to a quick start in the fourth quarter. They extended their lead to 29 points. That is when Boston threw in the white flag for the game. Boston subbed in their bench players to finish off the game. Multiple players were seeing the floor for the first time in the postseason. Neither offense really saw a big outburst. Golden State continued to hold it down on the defensive end. By the end of the game, they forced 18 Boston turnovers. The Warriors came out on top in Game 2 by winning 107-88.

Key Performers

Golden State Warriors:

Stephen Curry: 29 points, 6 rebounds, 5 3-Point FG

Jordan Poole: 17 points, 5 3-Point FG (off the bench)

Boston Celtics:

Jayson Tatum: 28 points, 6 rebounds, 6 3-Point FG

Jaylen Brown: 17 points, 6 rebounds

Game 3 NBA Finals

The series shifts to Boston for Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The game will be played on Wednesday, June 8th at 9PM EST. You can tune-in to the game on ABC.