The Boston Celtics survived yet another bad third quarter in the NBA Tests, rendered Draymond Green ineffective, and held onto the ball just enough. They ’re just two triumphs from an NBA-stylish 18th crown because of it.
Now the most burning question in the Tests is, can the soldiers survive Stephen Curry’s ankle injury?
Jaylen Brown scored 22 of his 27 points in the first half for Boston and the Celtics won Game 3 over the Golden State soldiers, 116- 100. Curry remains red hot in this series, scoring 31 points in the loss. He has 94 points in three games, but he could be in for a tougher Game 4 due to an ankle injury suffered late in the fourth quarter.
Boston has yet to lose back- to- back games in the playoffs, which is now what it would take for the Celtics to fall in this series.
“ Our platoon is obviously in position to win some games and do commodity special, ” Brown said.
Another positive sign for the Celtics — in tests where the first two games are resolve, the winner of Game 3 has gone on to win the series82.1 percent of the time.
Game 4 is Friday at 9p.m. ET at TD Garden. The soldiers have won at least one road game in every playoff series since the first round of the 2013 playoffs — they ’ll have to extend that band in order to win these tests.
“ Tough night for all of us. I mean, we just could n’t get it going, ” soldiers trainer Steve Kerr said. “ And not important differently to say. 2- 1. We ’ve got a day hereafter to prepare for Game 4, and we ’ll get back at it. ”
Jayson Tatum scored 26 points, including eight in a sterling fourth quarter for the home platoon in which Boston outscored the soldiers 23- 11. Marcus Smart added 24 points and Al Horford added 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Robert Williams III, playing through knee soreness that has limited him throughout the playoffs, squirreled 10 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals.
The Celtics bettered to 14- 2 this postseason when committing smaller than 15 successions( they had 12 for 19 Warrior points, compared to 19 for 33 soldiers points in Game 2).
“ Game 2, they brought the heat to us, ” said Smart, who contributed seven rebounds and five assists. “ For us, that left a bad taste in our mouth because what we hang our chapeau on is trouble on the protective end and being a physical platoon. It surely woke us up a little bit. ”
Klay Thompson had by far his stylish game of the tests with 25 points on 7- of- 17 firing( and five 3s), and Andrew Wiggins added 18 points for Golden State. Green, the villain from the soldiers ’ Game 2 palm, managed just two points and fouled out with 407 left, and did n’t get far enough under anyone’s skin to make a difference.
" I just suppose I noway set up a meter, really on both ends of the bottom," Green said when asked how he allowed
he played." Not enough force."
On the same play where Green fouled out, Horford dove for a loose ball and fell on top of Curry’s left ankle. While Curry laid on the court for several moments, Green, who was called for his sixth foul on the play, screamed at officers in defense of his departed star.
Curry ultimately rose to his bases and stayed in the game, but was easily halting on a tender ankle. He was out of the game for good with 219 left and Boston ahead by 14.
“ The injury did n’t force him out of the game, but I took him out down 14 with two twinkles left because we were n’t going to catch up, ” Kerr said. “ We'll know more hereafter. ”
“ We need him if we want to win this thing, ” Thompson added. “ I know Steph is going to do everything he can in his power to play. I'm really hoping he’s okay because he’s our identity, and without him, it'll be veritably delicate. ”
This game grew tense thanks to yet another third quarter eruption from Golden State. Entering play Wednesday, Golden State outscored the Celtics by 35 in the third diggings of games 1 and 2, and enjoyed another big bone
in Game 3 to climb back in it. How’s a seven- point possession sound?
Curry, who scored 15 points in the quarter, drained a 3 and was fouled by Horford with 506 left. officers ruled after videotape renewal that Horford did n’t give Curry enough room to land — which is a obvious foul — so the soldiers got to keep the ball after Curry’s foul shot. Otto PorterJr. knocked down a 3 for seven points. And also with 343 remaining in the period Curry nailed another 3 for an 83- 82 lead.
Rather than buckle under the weight of another soldiers ’ run, Smart and Grant Williams connected on 3s and the Celtics took a 93- 89 lead into the fourth. Golden State noway got closer, and Tatum’s emphatic drive to the circle through business for a 107- 96 advantage with 551 left wing was a punch into the soldiers ’ bone bone. They were out of air.
“ I felt like our platoon really stayed poised, ” Horford said. “ The energy from our suckers was contagious. They stayed with us, indeed through that because occasionally effects can get shaky. We did n’t fear and just continued to play. ”
After being shoved and verbally bullied by Green in Game 2, the Celtics were the bigger bullies Wednesday with 47 rebounds to the soldiers' 31, and a 52- 26 edge in points in the makeup.
“ We feel like they ’ve been killing us on the glass this whole series, ” Williams said. “ Wanted to just put an emphasis on it. ”