Inside The Celtics

What Stood Out in NBA Finals Game 6: Warriors Outplay Celtics on Both Ends in Championship-Clinching Performance

The Warriors dynasty hangs another championship banner while the Celtics turn their attention to figuring out how to get back to and produce a different outcome on this stage.

Bobby Krivitsky

Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

There was a 14-2 start and a late rally, but the Warriors clamped down defensively, shot over 40 percent from beyond the arc, and controlled the game most of the night.

The Celtics didn't help their cause by committing 23 turnovers, leading to 27 points for Golden State. Boston went 1-8 with 16 or more giveaways this postseason.

The Celtics' mid-season turnaround and run to the Finals was remarkable, and there's a lot to unpack while looking ahead this summer, but for now, a deep dive into how the Warriors clinched their fourth championship in eight years.

Warriors Withstand Celtics Initial Punch, Then Turn the Tide

The Celtics jumped out to a 12-2 lead to start the game. That included a conscientious effort to get the ball in the low post on their first two possessions.

It also featured a Jaylen Brown pull-up from 18 feet and Brown and Jayson Tatum drilling back-to-back threes, drawing roars from the crowd at TD Garden.

An Andrew Wiggins three, followed by a Klay Thompson baseline pull-up jump shot, cut the Golden State deficit to 14-7 with 7:17 remaining in the opening period.

At the 5:24 mark, Ime Udoka subbed Payton Pritchard into the game, which is earlier than usual for Pritchard. At that juncture, Boston was 2/7 from beyond the arc, the motivation for this move.

With 4:03 to play, Stephen Curry nearly turned the ball over but retained possession, skipped the ball to Jordan Poole at the opposite wing, and Poole attacked off the dribble for a pull-up shot, which banked in to make it 20-14.

Bringing energy off the bench, Gary Payton II trimmed the gap to 22-18 by grabbing his missed three and laying it in. That was a result of Robert Williams fully committing to trying to block his shot and unable to box out after he landed. Credit Payton for capitalizing on that and pursuing his miss.

With 56.3 seconds left, Curry gave the Warriors a 24-22 lead, swishing a corner three. At that point, Golden State, locking down defensively, was on an 8-0 run.

Poole followed that by banking in a three to extend the advantage to 27-22. That's where the score stood entering the second quarter.

The Celtics came out with a ton of energy, feeding off their home crowd, but after some quality shots didn't go down, the Warriors' defense took them out of rhythm.

Boston ended the frame shooting 40 percent from the field, including 2/8 (25 percent) from beyond the arc. The Celtics also committed four turnovers, but those only translated to two points for the visitors. Conversely, Golden State's four giveaways led to seven points for Boston.

The Celtics also got seven points from Tatum and Brown. The former is 3/6, and the latter is 3/5. But Boston only got two points from its bench compared to nine by the Warriors' second unit.

Golden State also outscored the hosts 8-4 in the paint in the first quarter.

Warriors Outplay Celtics on Both Ends in Second Frame

The Warriors quickly cashed in on a second-chance opportunity as Poole converted a Draymond Green offensive rebound into three more points. Andrew Wiggins then turned a dish from Thompson into a reverse layup that extended the lead to 32-22.

It didn't get any better for the hosts after that as Poole turned another Green offensive rebound into a three, and a Brown turnover led to an open-floor dunk for Wiggins, pushing the advantage to 37-22.

At the 9:57 mark, Brown drilled a three off a drive-and-kick from Tatum, ending a Golden State 21-0 run, the longest in an NBA Finals game. It also cut Boston's deficit to 37-25.

With 8:54 left in the first half, Marcus Smart picked up his third foul, courtesy of a late flop from Payton. That resulted in Derrick White checking back into the game.

Nearly a minute later, Robert Williams made a terrific effort to reject a Curry layup, leading to Tatum euro-stepping his way to two points to make it 37-27, injecting some needed energy into a worried home crowd.

At the 4:36 mark, a Kevon Looney offensive rebound turned into a Curry three, giving the Warriors 11 second-chance points and a 47-33 lead.

At the other end, Tatum hooked Wiggins, picking up his third foul. That resulted in Pritchard checking in for him.

With 2:39 to play, Green delivered a dime to Thompson as the latter slipped to the basket, producing a layup that put Golden State ahead 51-33. At this point, the Warriors weren't just winning, they were dominating on both ends.

Golden State held a 54-39 advantage when the first half closed.

Curry and Thompson had a team-high 12 points, and Poole provided 11 off the bench.

The Warriors were shooting a scorching hot 10/23 (43.5 percent) from beyond the arc. They also generated 18 points in the paint, 11 on second-chance opportunities, and 11 off 13 Boston turnovers.

Brown led all participants with 14 points, and Tatum scored 11, but the Celtics only got two points from their second unit.

Boston produced 16 points in the paint and 13 off eight Golden State turnovers.

But the Celtics need to play with more force, on and off-ball activity, and confidence if there will be a Game 7.

The Celtics Get Off the Mat in the Third Quarter

Green opened the second half with a corner three as the shot clock expired, an ominous start for the hosts and a bucket that extended the visitors lead to 57-39.

After an Al Horford three cut it to 13, Golden State continued making Boston pay for giving up second-chance opportunities as a Wiggins offensive rebound led to a Curry three to make it 60-44.

The Warriors hot shooting continued as Curry and Porter combined for four-straight threes. At that juncture, Golden State was 6/7 from beyond the arc in the third quarter and led 72-50, seemingly delivering the knockout blow.

At the 4:41 mark, Looney elbowed Grant Williams in the face, prompting a review for a potential flagrant foul. However, the contact was not severe enough to warrant an upgrade from a common foul.

A Brown layup with 4:01 to go in the period put Boston on a 7-0 run and made it 72-57. But at the other end, Wiggins tipped-in a Curry miss.

Brown then cut the deficit to 14 with a three off a pass from Smart. For his next act, he attacked Poole off the dribble for a floater the Basketball Gods rewarded with a friendly bounce to trim the gap to 74-62.

The Celtics were lucky the Warriors couldn't make them pay for back-to-back turnovers, then reduced the deficit to single figures on a three-point play by Horford that made it 74-65.

He followed it up by staying with Poole on the drive, then swatting his layup attempt as the TD Garden crowd erupted.

When the quarter ended, Boston's 16-4 run had the hosts trailing 76-66 entering the final frame. 

Warriors Fend Off Celtics in Final Frame

At the 8:47 mark, Robert Williams threw a dime to Tatum for a dunk in traffic that made it 82-70.

About two minutes later, Grant Williams pressured Green into a turnover that led to Williams producing a layup plus a foul on Thompson at the other end. Williams added on the tax, cutting the gap to 84-75.

Brown then buried a left-corner three to make it an eight-point game, 86-78. But Wiggins matched it to extend Golden State's advantage to 89-78 with 5:11 remaining.

After that, the Warriors turned a Brown turnover, Boston's 21st giveaway of the night, into a Green layup. But Horford countered with a right-corner three to make it 91-81 with 4:19 left.

Curry then pushed Golden State's lead to 96-81 with a three off a sideline inbounds with 3:17 to go.

With 1:43 on the clock, a second-chance opportunity led to an open Wiggins knocking down a left-corner three to extend the advantage to 99-86.

At that point, the outcome of the NBA Finals was clear.

Curry, the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP, had 34 points. Brown matched him, but while the Warriors got 18 points from Wiggins and 15 off the bench from Poole, Tatum had 13 on 6/18 shooting. Wiggins did a terrific job as an on-ball defender against him, and Golden State loaded up to limit Boston's top scoring option. 

One also wonders if the extent of Tatum's shoulder injury is more severe than what got divulged. But after the game, Tatum said he doesn't anticipate requiring offseason shoulder surgery.

In Game 6, one of the difference-makers was 15 offensive rebounds helping the Warriors produce 12 extra shots and 21 second-chance points.

Also, the Celtics knew they needed more help from their second unit than that group, which was crucial to their run to the Finals, had provided on this stage. Unfortunately for Boston, in Thursday's 103-90 loss, its bench got outscored 21-5.

The Green and White also understood they had to be stronger with the ball, play with the proper tempo and spacing, and make the correct read on time to limit turnovers. But that's easier said than done, and they instead fell to 1-8 this postseason when having 16 or more giveaways. 

Boston actually outscored Golden State off turnovers, converting 17 giveaways into 27 points compared to the Warriors putting 20 on the board off 23 Celtics turnovers. But when playing from behind most of the game and struggling to keep the opposition off the offensive glass, there isn't enough margin for error to make the challenge more difficult.

Protecting the ball, playing smarter, and demonstrating more poise, are all points of emphasis as the work to raise banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters continues. 

Up Next

Inside The Celtics turns its attention to a summer where Boston's brass must figure out what moves are required to get the Celtics back to the Finals and over the hump. 

Further Reading

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown Reflect on Personal and Team Growth Through Celtics' Playoff Run

Ime Udoka Addresses Potential Lineup, Rotation Changes for NBA Finals Game 6

Celtics Determined to Avoid Warriors Celebrating a Title on Their Home Floor: 'All the motivation in the world'

[Film Room] Keys to Celtics Getting Jayson Tatum Going in Game 5 of NBA Finals

[Film Room] In NBA Finals Game 3, Jaylen Brown Balanced Scoring and Facilitating, Showing How He Can Raise Celtics' Ceiling

Tony Parker Sizes Up the NBA Finals, Talks Ime Udoka and His Collaboration with MTN Dew LEGEND

The Anatomy of the Celtics' Fourth-Quarter Comeback in Game 1 of NBA Finals

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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