Before starting the third game of the NBA finals (tied at one), all eyes were on Klay Thompson, one of the best 3-point shooters, now questioned.
The main partner of Stephen Curry, the other half of the Splash brothers, named for their friendship, rapport and effectiveness in long-distance shots, had a second meeting at a very poor level. To his credit, don’t forget that he returned in January after a 941-day absence due to serious injury.
In these months he has alternated good days with bad ones. Last Sunday he made 4 of 19 pitches. One of the worst records since the return. “I feel good about going 4-for-19 if we win by 20,” he replied, not conveying any kind of dejection. “I prefer that stat to going 13-for-19 and losing 10-for-10,” he added.
The series moved this Wednesday to the TD Garden in Boston, hell for the rivals of the Celtics, one of the courts with a feverish atmosphere like few others, and more after 12 years of absence in the final round. The Warriors know that toughness and how important it is for them that Thompson recovers the level if they want to counter the other great couple in this dance, the one formed by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The third game was won by the Celtics (116-100 and 2-1 in the tie) because from the beginning they were more than connected, while the Warriors sometimes give the image that they like indoor basketball more than the combat that raise those from Boston, who this time showed much more hunger for victory.
Of course, the Californians had those sparks of genius, with Curry leading (31 points, the most), accompanied by a Thompson who improved significantly (25). They came to lose by 18, but in the third quarter they came back and took a point up (82-83). The magic of that period was short-lived. Brown (27 points), Tatum (26) and Marcus Smart (24) dominated the scene and became the first trio with more than 20 points apiece in a Finals game.
The Celtics’ start, described as perfect by analysts, praised the magnificent game of Brown, who finished with 17 points in the first quarter, with an 11-point lead for the locals (33-22). It was a lesser evil since the visitors came to be 15 behind (26-11) and the feeling that the Celtics were going to eat them with potatoes.
The Warriors had one of those principles reminiscent of Barça in men’s football, with absolute indolence. The moment they woke up, the Bostonians had broken through and charged up their morale. On the road, Thompson missed the first three pitches he took, until he was sat down by Steve Kerr.
Once he got back on the court, Thompson broke his losing streak and hit his first 3-pointer. That was a morale blow. The first quarter ended with 33-22.
In the second, the Celtics immediately regained the 15 lead and even went as high as 18 (54-36), when Tatum added to Brown’s inspiration (22 points at halftime, the most).
The Warriors, the team that broke the mold with their outdoor basketball, had a fairly low 3-point shooting, while the Celtics seemed to get all of them.
In the visitors, curiously, the one who kept the type in that phase was Thompson, who scored the first 12 points of his team at the beginning of the second quarter. His inspiration with a 3-pointer, followed by a tackle by Andrew Wiggins and a 3-pointer plus two points by Curry, put the gap at seven points.
The break came with a score of 68-56, with Thompson as his team’s top scorer (15), followed by Curry (14), still an insufficient version of the Splash brothers. Among the fans of the Californians, there was at that moment the euphoria that, as is usual in the warriors of the San Francisco Bay, they would come from behind in the third quarter, their usual turning point.
Something must happen to the Californians in the locker room. Although this time they came out, cut to five and sank again, especially after an absurd personal by Curry that was worth three shots to Marcus Smart, the magic of the third quarter prevailed again. An impressive run from 3-point range by Curry, well supported by Thompson, put the visitors ahead 82-83.
Just over three minutes to go. The Warriors had the opportunity to expand and lost it. A triple by Smart allowed the Boston team to regain the lead. At the end of that quarter they came with a local advantage, 93-89.
The final period started again as usual, the Warriors unplugged, as if they had an attack of indifference. Quite the opposite of the locals, at 1,000 revolutions, fighting for everything. Californians lost absurd balls. Kerr called a timeout as he was down 11 again (102-91). Nine minutes were missing and the comeback in the third quarter remained as something ephemeral.
A 3-pointer by Wiggins seemed to get the Warriors into the game. A mirage? The 14-point deficit returned with less than five minutes remaining and the feeling that the Celtics were playing with one more gear, sticky in defense and combative in attack, while the Warriors were unable to overcome them. Thompson wanted to go to the basket and Brown put a monumental block on him.
If there was a divided ball, melee, the locals were always victorious, encouraged by a high-voltage public. Recital of energy from the premises and mistakes from the visitors. Score of 114-100 with 2’19” to go. With Draymond Green out for personnel, Curry and Thompson were already on the bench, a sign the Warriors had thrown in the towel. The image of the two of them sitting together was the living image of impotence.
Thompson was right before the game. His participation this time was much higher than the previous match. He walked away with 25 points and a superior shooting percentage, but his team lost 116 to 110. Boston showed they can compete and tear down performers on the floor.
