Basketball

[Ulysses]

NBA Finals 2022: Stephen Curry puts Golden State Warriors on his back to even series

The Golden State Warriors built a dynasty playing a beautiful brand of basketball predicated on movement, passing and creativity. Down 2-1 and desperate for a win on hostile ground in Boston's TD Garden, the Warriors displayed precious little of that choreography, but managed to eke out a rugged 107-97 win to knot the NBA Finals as the series returns to San Francisco for Game 5 on Monday (9 p.m. ET on ABC).

For a team that shares the ball as a defining quality of their style, the Warriors relied heavily on Stephen Curry once again. The two-time MVP was brilliant on Friday night. Against the NBA's top-ranked defense that has zeroed in on the game's most celebrated shooter, Curry found the smallest pockets of space against the Celtics' pick-and-roll coverage to launch looping shots from long distance and acrobatic runners off the dribble. He finished with 43 points on 14-for-26 shooting, including 7-for-14 from beyond the arc, and 8-for-9 from the line. The smallest starter for either team also grabbed 10 rebounds in 41 minutes.

The Warriors have traditionally featured plenty of firepower during their dynastic run, but they have struggled to find consistent shot creation outside of Curry's exploits. Golden State has had to rely on Curry, with heavy usage of a more traditional pick-and-roll game to maximize his shot opportunities. Curry worked tirelessly in Game 4 off the dribble in isolation against any favorable matchups -- and the strong Celtics' defense presents few of them.

For Curry, Game 4 was a showcase of both prolific volume and dramatic timeliness. The step-back 3-pointer he drained off a return bounce pass from Draymond Green gave the Warriors a six-point lead inside of two minutes remaining, and silenced the boisterous Garden crowd.

...

Most excellent!

[GoCubsGo]

It's going seven.

You waited 2 more games to make a prediction.

I was thinking six but Boston's defense is an equalizer.

Lotta frequent flier miles about to be earned.
The NBA is really better off with a 2-3-2 finals format.

I just go with the flow. Why do you like that more than the current 2-2-1-1-1? AGW?

Just think there'd be better basketball if they could reduce jet lag and didn't have to spend 5+ hours traveling on their off day for three straight games.

[Vrede too]

... The NBA is really better off with a 2-3-2 finals format.

I just go with the flow. Why do you like that more than the current 2-2-1-1-1? AGW?

Just think there'd be better basketball if they could reduce jet lag and didn't have to spend 5+ hours traveling on their off day for three straight games.

I'm not disagreeing with your conclusion, but there will be 3-day breaks between games 4-5, 5-6 and 6-7. 3-4 was the only 2-day break.
https://www.nba.com/news/2022-nba-finals-schedule

[Vrede too]

Just think there'd be better basketball if they could reduce jet lag and didn't have to spend 5+ hours traveling on their off day for three straight games.

I'm not disagreeing with your conclusion, but there will be 3-day breaks between games 4-5, 5-6 and 6-7. 3-4 was the only 2-day break.
https://www.nba.com/news/2022-nba-finals-schedule

AGW is a pretty good reason to me.
2 round trips for the higher seed, 1 for the lower seed with the 2-3-2.
3 round trips for the higher seed, 2 for the lower seed with the 2-2-1-1-1.
Then there's staff, NBA officials, media, and some hardcore fans.

[Vrede too]

The Boston Celtics scored three points over the final 7:32 of Game 4.

This was Curry’s 32nd Finals game.
14-of-26 shooting (7-of-14 from deep), 8-for-9 on free throws.

NBA world reacts to Steph Curry’s magical Game 4 performance
Curry was in another world in Game 4

A few examples, tons more at the link:

... The 43 points were Curry’s second-highest total ever in an NBA Finals Game and the most ever in a win. His 47-point outing in Game 3 in the 2019 Finals coming in a 123-109 loss to the Toronto Raptors....

[GoCubsGo]

The Boston Celtics scored three points over the final 7:32 of Game 4.

This was Curry’s 32nd Finals game.
14-of-26 shooting (7-of-14 from deep), 8-for-9 on free throws.

Hope he gets his Finals MVP.

[Vrede too]

... This was Curry’s 32nd Finals game.
14-of-26 shooting (7-of-14 from deep), 8-for-9 on free throws.

Hope he gets his Finals MVP.

He's been their rock for so long it's an oddity that he hasn't already, and it speaks to his team play and Kerr's team coaching. Some Wiki MVP trivia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_Final ... rd#Winners

Jerry West, the inaugural recipient, is the only player to win the award while being on the losing team.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who won twice in 1971 and 1985, holds the record for the longest gap between awards
Vrede: Does that count if he was Lew Alcindor the first time?

Magic Johnson is the only player to win the award as a rookie.

Michael Jordan has won the award a record six times.

Shaquille O'Neal is the only player other than Michael Jordan to have won the award three times consecutively.

LeBron James is the only player to win the award with three different teams. Miami Heat (2), Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers

Wilt Chamberlain and other HoF players only once.

Golden State Warriors got their first, Rick Barry, back in 1975.
Vrede: I didn't know they were a team back then.

Founded in 1946 in Philadelphia, the Warriors moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1962 and took the city's name, before changing its geographic moniker to Golden State in 1971.

The Los Angeles Lakers have 13!
Teams with none, also 13!

[Ulysses]

Win or lose, Steph Curry put in an awesome performance in Fridays' win over the Celtics.

Don't get me wrong; I have some good friends from Boston. But Curry yesterday put a real shine on basketball for me.

I would love to meet him someday.

[GoCubsGo]

[Ulysses]

Game 5 of the NBA finals now under way.

Warriors have taken an early lead, yay. 12-4 in the first half of the first quarter.

Ooops. Now 14-4. Awesome!

[Vrede too]

The Boston Celtics scored three points over the final 7:32 of Game 4.

This was Curry’s 32nd Finals game.
14-of-26 shooting (7-of-14 from deep), 8-for-9 on free throws.

Hope he gets his Finals MVP.

If Wiggins doesn't steal it from him.
Steph's 1st game without a 3-pointer since 2018, 1st time ever in 137 playoff games.

3-2! First consecutive losses by Boston in these playoffs.

[Ulysses]

GSW standouts: Curry, and Wiggins.

Awesome.

What did I say? Wiggins was the hero of Game 5!

With Curry and Wiggins, GSW won game 5 by 20 pts, 104-94.

Now it's back to Boston where the crowd no doubt will be even more obnoxious than usual.

Next game Thursday.

I stand by my prediction: Warriors in 7. But I would not complain if they secure the title in six.

Yowza!

[Vrede too]

...

It was a little nerve-racking at the end of the 3rd, but that 10 point cushion was good at the end.

3-2 teams win the NBA Finals 80% of the time.

[GoCubsGo]

...

It was a little nerve-racking at the end of the 3rd, but that 10 point cushion was good at the end.

3-2 teams win the NBA Finals 80% of the time.

Yeah, they were leading in the teens most of the way. Boston didn't give up.

[Ulysses]

WARRIORS FOR THE WIN

Golden State Warriors preparing for 'hardest game' after failing to close out previous three series in first attempt

BOSTON -- The Golden State Warriors find themselves in a position they've been in many times before: one win away from an NBA title.

Playing in the NBA Finals for the sixth time in the past eight years, there is a dose of cautious optimism flowing through the Warriors' locker room as they take a 3-2 series lead into Boston for Game 6 on Thursday night (9 PT on ABC). But the Warriors also made it clear that no one is celebrating yet.

"You do yourself a disservice if you think about things that don't even exist yet," Klay Thompson said.

The Warriors have struggled in closeout games this postseason, failing to wrap up each series they've played with their first opportunity -- all coming on the road.

...

Well, there's always game 7... back home in SF...

[Vrede too]

It was a little nerve-racking at the end of the 3rd, but that 10 point cushion was good at the end.

3-2 teams win the NBA Finals 80% of the time.

Repeat so far, GSW up by 15 at the half. Looking good, but I could do without a scary 3rd this time.

[GoCubsGo]

Repeat so far, GSW up by 15 at the half. Looking good, but I could do without a scary 3rd this time.

GS tasting it.

They want to take care of business tonight!

[Ulysses]

Thanks to Steph Curry and Wiggins etc., not a scary 3rd for the Warriors.

About 1/2 way through the third, Warriors up by over 20 pts.

Yay.

[Ulysses]

Is it too soon to vote on which Warrior will be voted MVP?

[GoCubsGo]

Repeat so far, GSW up by 15 at the half. Looking good, but I could do without a scary 3rd this time.

Sorry, but you had to know Boston was gonna make a run.

Give them credit for not folding.