Believe it or not, the third quarter of Game 3 was the best third quarter the Celtics have had in the 2022 NBA Finals. It was the first time they’d lost the quarter by single digits (eight), bringing the point differential for the third quarter to 43, in favor of Golden State, in this series.
But it doesn’t matter much if the Warriors only win that quarter as long as the Celtics win the games, which Boston did on Wednesday. With the 116-100 win, the Celtics are now 7-0 following a loss in this postseason.
Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart each scored 20-plus points, but Robert Williams was the x-factor in Game 3. In 26 minutes, the big man sent away four shots, logged three steals, scored eight points and ripped down 10 rebounds. He also made some important hustle plays that won’t show up on the stat sheet.
Even though they won by 16, the Celtics needed every bit of effort they got from Time Lord, with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson combining for 56 points. Through three games, the big man has been back and forth with his mobility, like in the Eastern Conference Finals, so it’s hard to tell where he’ll be in Game 4.
But, if Williams can replicate what he did Wednesday in Game 4 on Friday, the Celtics might be able to take advantage of stealing home court.
Related
