After dropping the first game of the series, the Golden State Warriors responded with a 107-88 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday to even the best-of-seven series at 1-1. Curry led the way with 29 points as the Warriors shot 59 percent.
After letting a 12-point lead slip away in the fourth quarter of game one, the Warriors managed to take control of the game in the third quarter, leading by 20 points.
Other than Curry, Jordan Poole, Andrew Bogut, Klay Thompson, and Kevon Looney scored double figures.
Playing with desperation
Draymond Green was a dominant force on the defensive end as the Warriors held Al Horford and Marcus Smart to just four points in the second half.
After dropping the first game, Curry said that the Warriors had to play with desperation to win. The Warriors then established a better defensive effort in game two and managed to take advantage of their opportunities in the third quarter. Golden State also established a larger lead in the fourth quarter.
“We said we needed to play with desperation and that’s what we did,” said Curry. “It’s a good feeling to get back on track and now we’ve got to take it on the road.”
The Warriors were able to take a commanding lead after outscoring the Celtics 35-14 in the third quarter. They maintained their advantage throughout the rest of the game.
Steph Curry erupted for 21 (7/11 FGM in Q1) points in the first quarter of Game 1 on his way to a game-high 34 points.@StephenCurry30: 34 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL, 7 3PM pic.twitter.com/d85Sc29PhM
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
MVP chants continue
Curry always has fans chanting “MVP” at Chase Center on home games. He has heard these throughout his career.
Curry carried the load for the Warriors with 29 points. He also added six rebounds and four assists in addition to five 3-pointers.
Due to Poole’s struggles, Steve Kerr had to play Curry for as many minutes. The three-time NBA champion played 32 minutes in three quarters. During the fourth quarter, Curry did not see the floor.
Poole, Thompson remain inconsistent
After leading the Warriors by two points at halftime, Curry could not get much help from his teammates. Thompson and Poole combined to score only five points in the first two quarters. They also went 2-for-13 from the field and 1-for-6 from the 3-point range.
Thompson started the third quarter strong, but it came to look like he would not be able to continue. With 1:19 left in the period, Kerr decided to start Poole instead. The 22-year-old point guard made his presence felt as he scored four straight points.
After driving to the basket, Poole hit a bounce pass to the center, who then converted for two points. He also made a 3-point shot at the end of the period.
In the 22 minutes that Poole played, he scored 17 points on 6-for-14 shooting from the field. However, he was also blocked several times. This series has been a learning experience for the young point guard.
On the other hand, Thompson only managed to score 11 points on 4-for-19 shooting from the field. He also went 1-for-8 from the 3-point range. The Warriors need to win three more games to secure the NBA championship title.
Game three of the series will be held in Boston on Wednesday.