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SAN FRANCISCO — The Celtics got here into Saturday’s 2022 NBA Finals rematch able to wreak vengeance, however the Warriors received the final snigger, defeating the most effective workforce within the league 123-107.
“That’s an announcement win proper there,” Draymond Inexperienced mentioned as he headed to the locker room after the win.
Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry mixed for 66 factors and 10 of the Warriors’ 13 3-pointers, whereas Jordan Poole, beginning rather than an injured Andrew Wiggins, added 20 factors (9 of which got here from the free throw line) on an total off capturing evening en path to Golden State’s twelfth house win of the season.
“Positively certainly one of our higher wins of the 12 months,” coach Steve Kerr mentioned after the sport. “We competed and did a very good job defensively, tried to make issues as robust as potential for them, and we gutted it out.”
It’s been about six months for the reason that Warriors’ rallied from a 2-1 gap within the Finals to win the sequence in six video games. That disappointing loss left a bitter style for the Celtics, with Jaylen Brown telling reporters this week that “there’s nothing extra humbling” than being crushed on the highest degree.
Boston has been scorching to begin the season, leaping out to a league-best 21-6 document whereas wanting poised to make one other summer season run.
In the meantime, the Warriors have handled some early-season adversity that has them sitting simply above .500, with the vast majority of these wins coming at Chase Middle.
Each groups entered Saturday refreshed. Neither had performed a recreation since Wednesday. The Celtics have been coming off a 27-point assertion win over the Phoenix Suns, whereas the Warriors suffered a wild heartbreaker to the Utah Jazz, throughout which they blew a four-point lead within the remaining 13 seconds.
However Golden State confirmed but once more that the workforce can dangle with the most effective of them when it’s locked in on each ends of the courtroom.
“We got here out with plenty of power,” Poole mentioned. “We knew that we had a giant activity forward of us and received locked in, regarded on the scouting report, and received a giant win.”
Defensively, that began by specializing in Jayson Tatum. With Wiggins sidelined with a strained thigh muscle (he’s scheduled to be reevaluated Monday), Thompson and Jonathan Kuminga have been the 2 major guys tasked with hampering Tatum.
Thompson blocked Tatum throughout the first two minutes of the sport, setting a tone for what was to come back for the Celtics star. Tatum scored solely 10 factors within the first half earlier than ending the evening with 18 factors on 6 of 21 capturing.
Limiting Tatum was a “collective effort,” Thompson acknowledged. Wanting again, the Warriors star mentioned the early-game block on Tatum would possibly’ve been his “favourite second” of the evening. In the meantime, Curry mentioned Thompson’s defensive efficiency towards Boston was paying homage to his pre-injury self.
“He made performs on each ends,” Curry mentioned. “Offensively, the sport was related. Whenever you’re locked in defensively, you’re fearful concerning the issues that impression the circulate of the sport and your matchup and your problem there, and normally you’re rewarded with appears and good rhythm and circulate on offense and it’s nearly making photographs. We all know he can do this. So it was nice to see every part join on each ends for him and for our workforce.”
Thompson completed along with his second 30-plus level recreation of the season, scoring a team-high 34 factors whereas capturing 14-for-26 from the sector and 4-for-11 from deep. He additionally had 5 rebounds and two assists. Curry added 32 going 12-for-21 from the sector and 6-for-11 from 3. He additionally had six rebounds and a team-high seven assists.
Kuminga added 14 factors on an environment friendly 6 of 9 capturing off the bench that included an open nook 3. He additionally had 5 rebounds and three assists.
In the meantime, Brown led the Celtics with 21 factors, 9 rebounds and three assists.
The Warriors outrebounded Boston 53-39, they usually dished out 9 extra assists than their opponent.
After the sport, there was a normal feeling among the many Warriors that they wanted a win like Saturday’s.
“Particularly after Utah,” Thompson mentioned. “That was a horrible expertise. To form of reply the best way that we did felt nice. We have been in a position to flush that one in Salt Lake after that collapse, so it’s all the time good to reply with an important efficiency, and we did that tonight.”
The Warriors enhance to 12-2 at house and 14-13 total. Why Golden State has struggled outdoors the Bay stays a thriller. However the workforce shall be examined over the subsequent two weeks because it performs six video games in 9 days on the highway.
“It’s gonna be a tricky journey,” Kerr mentioned. “A whole lot of good groups however an important problem for us and we really feel like this [win over Boston] ought to give us somewhat confidence and hopefully it carries over.”
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