With the series tied at one game apiece, Game Three of the NBA Finals will take place at TD Garden on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.
The Warriors rebounded from their Game One loss with a 19-point beating of the Celtics on Sunday. Golden State relied heavily on Steph Curry, who scored a game-high 29 points.
In Game Two, both Jayson Tatum and Jayson Brown put in strong games for Boston, but Golden State made sure that Al Horford, Marcus Smart, and Derrick White were held in check.
The Celtics are -3.5 point favorites in the series, which will be played in Boston. The total number of points is set at 215.5.
Warriors Dominate Game Two, Even Series
Golden State lost Game One after a horrific fourth quarter in which they were outscored 40-16. However, they had a huge third quarter in Game Two as they outscored Boston 35-14 to win and tie the series.
Steph Curry led the team with 29 points, Jordan Poole had 17, Kevon Looney had 12, and Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson each had 11.
As good as the offense has been, the Warriors must also continue to fight on defense. When chasing down loose balls, fighting for rebounds, and sticking to shooters, they appeared to be a team that simply wanted it more. If they want to pull off an upset on Wednesday, they must continue to put in the same effort, and it looks like Steve Kerr got them dialed in.
Golden State needs to overcome its road issues and win Game Three or Four to win this series. In the playoffs, the Warriors are 3-4 on the road and 2-5 against the spread. Curry leads the team so far with 26.6 points per game in the playoffs, followed by Thompson (19.1), Poole (17.8), and Wiggins (15.8).
Boston Looks to Utilize Home Court Advantage
Boston comes home after splitting the first two games with Golden State, which is a win with the Warriors not losing a game so far in the playoffs at home. After dominating in the fourth quarter in Game One, the Celtics struggled in the third quarter in Game Two.
They were led by Jayson Tatum’s 28 points, Jaylen Brown’s 17 points, and Derrick White’s 12 points, as they were the only three players to score in double figures as shots didn’t fall and Golden State defended well.
Of course, with a 5-4 record at TD Garden this postseason, the Celtics haven’t exactly been overpowering at home, and they will really need to secure their victories at home.
The good news for Celtics supporters is that Tatum and company have yet to lose consecutive games in the playoffs, and they are outscoring opponents by 15.5 points per game after a loss.
Offensively, the Celtics have been shooting the lights out, particularly from three-point land. However, they did turn the ball over 19 times in Game Two.
Tatum has led the Celtics in the playoffs, averaging 26.3 points per game, while Brown is averaging 22.7, Marcus Smart is averaging 14.9, and Al Horford is averaging 14.9 points per game.
Celtics/Warriors Betting Prediction
The Warriors’ offense isn’t as good on the road, but their defense is as good as it has been in both games. They’ve done a good job of defending Tatum and the Celtics’ players. In Game Two, Golden State was able to hold Boston to 37.5 percent from the field as Golden State focused on the defensive end of the court.
Golden State looked like they were in the drivers seat for both games. Boston will have to try to slow down Curry, Poole, and Thompson, but Golden State has far too many weapons, and even if they do, they won’t be able to stop them.
The Celtics have been outstanding following playoff losses, but they have struggled at TD Garden. Boston has a home record of 4-5 ATS in the playoffs, while the Warriors have gone 6-2 ATS in their last eight games. I like the Warriors in this one.
Betting Pick: Warriors +3.5
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