Top 2022 NBA Finals Warriors vs Celtics Game 3 Storylines
After splitting the first two games, the Warriors fly to Boston on Wednesday to play the Celtics at the TD Garden for Game 3. The 2022 NBA Finals is off to a good start. Basketball and betting fans rejoice in edge-of-your-seat action coming from both teams. The next showdown is Golden State’s first road game of the series, last visiting Boston on December 17. The Celtics have been the Dubs’ kryptonite in the regular season. However, the strength of the Warriors on the road is indisputable and enough to keep Boston on alert from start to end.
With the Game 3 fast approaching, Nitrobetting flicks through the three key storylines for the 2022 NBA Finals between the Warriors and the Celtics.
Top Storylines For Game 3 of Warriors vs. Celtics 2022 NBA Finals Matchup
A prevailing Celtics comeback
The Celtics head to the TD Garden for the NBA Finals Game 3 and their Finals home game in over a decade. What makes this a concern for the warriors is the fact that Boston is yet to lose consecutive games in the playoffs. In fact, the last time Boston gave up two-consecutive losses was in January. It’s an imposing statistic to present against the Warriors, but we’ve also seen the Celtics lose home games in the playoffs. They actually have a better road record in the playoffs than home, which calls for better performances on familiar ground.
We’ve seen Boston’s starters go cold several times. Jayson Tatum was quiet in Game 1 but bounced back in the following game by hitting six of his nine shots from downtown. He finished Game 2 with 28 points but wasn’t enough to secure a commanding lead over the Warriors. Marcus Smart and Al Horford also chipped in significant points in Game 1, while failing to make a mark in Game 2. Only Jaylen Brown delivered consistent numbers in two games for Boston.
If Game 3 plays out like any of the first two games, we expect the Celtics to utilize the three-point line. Boston made almost as many three-point shots as two-pointers in the first two games, and their shooting percentage is surprisingly better on threes than mid-range and perimeter attempts. The Warriors recovered from a Game 1 defeat right away, and now the Celtics will attempt to bounce back after the Dubs limited them to their lowest scoring output of the playoffs.
Gary Payton II starts to heat up in his first NBA Finals appearance
The son of ‘The Glove’ and 2006 NBA Champion, Gary Payton II, represents a layer of depth to the Warriors’ lineup. GP2 suffered an elbow fracture in their series against Memphis, ruling him out of the Conference Finals against the Mavericks, which the Dubs comfortably won four games to one.
After over a month of recovering, Payton showed up for Game 2 of the 2022 NBA Finals. He eased into the game and closed his stint with three rebounds, three assists, and seven points in 25 minutes on the floor. It was a solid performance considering he would be wary of taking shots following the elbow injury.
When their scorers fail to hit shots and connect, Steve Kerr can compensate with dynamic players that can cover the wings and bring more energy to the game. More than that, his defensive abilities make him a valuable asset in the Finals. While he’s not one of the young talented players we see that dominated the game early in their career, Payton II is a hard worker and is now considered one of the league’s best one-on-one defenders.
We expect to see Payton making his presence felt within the personal space of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Even though he lacks height, his persistence makes him an effective matchup to Boston’s starters. Furthermore, we might even see him in front of Marcus Smart and give him a dose of his own medicine.
Warriors third-quarter domination
The Warriors and third-quarter runs have been synonymous since the early days of the ‘Splash Brothers,’ and that remains true until now. Games 1 and 2 presented some of the best basketball from the Dubs, outscoring the Celtics 73 to 38 in the third period of the two games combined.
Third-quarter control is something the Warriors continue to uphold. They outscored their opponents by an average of 2.8 points per game in that period alone. The 2021-22 playoffs saw great three-point shooting success come out of Golden State’s side. They make more three-pointers (3.7) and at an impressive rate of 41.3% than in any other period. With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the floor, combined with more capable shooters like Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, and Gary Payton II, we expect the trend to continue in Game 3.
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