EVEN those with just a passing interest in the National Basketball Association Finals would have predicted the Celtics’ renewed aggression yesterday. After practically having been bullied off the court by the Warriors in Game Two, they knew they had to at least match the intensity of the Western Conference champions moving forward. And, in this regard, they understood that they had both the means and the opportunity to live up to potential. It wasn’t simply that they would be moving to familiar TD Garden, where a capacity crowd of 19,156 awaited. More importantly, it was that they had the stronger, more physical, and better-balanced lineup.
Perhaps the outcome was to be expected given the extent to which the Celtics were punked by the Warriors on the strength of former Defensive Player of the Year awardee Draymond Green’s exertions. To a man, they resolved to be more focused even in the face of extra-legal provocations designed to get their goat. And, to their credit, they set the tone from the get-go; bully ball was on display, but upon their instigation. They made their presence felt — in the paint, off the boards, on the ground. The result: an emphatic 16-point victory in which they were ahead for all but 33 seconds of the set-to.
Needless to say, the Celtics now have the decided edge — and not just because history has two-one leaders claiming the Larry O’Brien Trophy four out of five times. To contend that the Warriors need to take Game Four would be to underscore the obvious. The green and white are too big, too strong, and too heady to squander three chances to bring home the hardware. They have the talent and athleticism to counter their seeming lack of experience. Moreover, they’re quick learners, as evidenced by their capability to immediately bounce back from setbacks; through the postseason to date, they have yet to lose twice in a row.
That said, the Celtics know there is no sure thing in the Finals, and especially against the gritty Warriors. The latter’s third-quarter charges are no fluke, and serve to remind them of the singular impact two-time Most Valuable Player awardee Steph Curry can have on proceedings. Which, for all intents, is why they would do well to press their advantage. The last thing they want is for the tide to turn on account of their complacency.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.