Boston Celtics stun Golden State in historic fourth-quarter Finals comeback

It was the Steph Curry show on Friday before the Celtics pulled off an astonishing comeback to crush the Warriors in Game 1.

The Warriors watched their lead evaporate. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Boston pulled off a stunning fourth-quarter comeback to shock Golden State 120-108 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Friday (AEST).

It looked like a record-setting Steph Curry would draw first blood for the Warriors but the Celtics exploded at the death to secure a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

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Starting the fourth quarter down by 12 points, the Celtics went on a 9-0 run to get within three before Golden State nailed their first basket for the term.

The rest of the quarter followed a similar script as Boston went on an astonishing streak to outscore Golden State 40-16, making it the most lopsided fourth quarter in NBA Finals history.

Boston's response to that third quarter haymaker ... with zero NBA Finals experience and Tatum struggling beyond words ... can't overstate how impressive this fourth quarter has been.

Golden State was 9-0 at home in the playoffs.

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 3, 2022

Warriors' lead collapsed like it was held in crypto.

— Joe Sheehan (@joe_sheehan) June 3, 2022

Curry was deadly accurate from downtown in the first quarter but some of Boston’s defence left plenty to be desired, as he was given far too much space to size up shots from beyond the arc.

Aussie basketball legend Andrew Bogut tweeted: “Boston losing @StephenCurry30 numerous times in the first quarter for WIDE open threes is inexcusable.”

Boston’s defensive strategy against Steph Curry is.. well, interesting. pic.twitter.com/tqclwESSNY

— Daily Snark (@DailySnark) June 3, 2022

The Warriors were riding hot on Curry’s coat-tails as he poured in 34 points including seven three-pointers, and Andrew Wiggins supported him with 20 points and five rebounds.

But Boston bounced back with some long bombs of their own, dropping 21 three-pointers for the match. Al Horford (26 points) and Jaylen brown (24 points) led the way for the visitors, while Derrick White chipped in with 21 valuable points of his own.

Al Horford blows a kiss to the Bay Area crowd 😂 pic.twitter.com/oRqfoJcEJM

— ESPN (@espn) June 3, 2022

The victory was no less than Boston’s gutsy never-say-die approach deserved in a full-blooded contest that resembled a heavyweight title fight, full of wild momentum shifts, twists and turns.

“Just continue to play. That was our message throughout the whole game,” Horford said afterwards.

“They’re such a good team. And for us, it was just, you know, continue to play no matter what. That’s what we did.

“It wasn’t our best game, but we continued to fight and find different ways to get this win.”

Boston twice recovered from double-digit deficits either side of halftime when it looked as if the Warriors were poised to cut loose.

Not even a dazzling shooting display by Curry — who exploded for 21 points in the first quarter alone — could fluster the Celtics.

Despite a vastly less experienced line up — not a single player on the Boston roster had played an NBA Finals game before — the Celtics refused to crack under pressure.

Instead it was the Warriors whose resistance crumbled in a fourth quarter.

“That’s kind of who we’ve been all year,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka said. “Tough grinders, resilient group that we can always know we can rely on our defense to kind of buckle down when needed.”

Boston’s win was all the more notable as it came with only a modest contribution from star Jayson Tatum, who finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

“We pride ourselves on everybody being able to contribute on both ends,” Udoka said. “That’s rewarding, especially on a night when your best guy has an off night. Others step up.

“So it is rewarding, and knowing we can play so much better, that’s the main thing. Didn’t have a great three quarters and kept ourselves in the game, then locked down when we needed to.”

Golden State coach Steve Kerr paid tribute to Boston’s fourth quarter display.

“Those guys, give them credit,” Kerr said. “My gut reaction, what I just witnessed, they came in and played a hell of a fourth quarter, and you have to give them credit. It’s pretty much as simple as that.”

With AFP