The Golden State Warriors tortured the Boston Celtics so thoroughly in Game 2; both teams played their bench players through much of the fourth quarter.
While the Celtics will be happy having earned a split in San Francisco, Boston will want to halt the momentum that Golden State’s offense built in the second game. Stunting the Warriors’ offensive attack is easier said than done.
Anyone who knows how to bet on NBA will tell you Boston didn’t appear to have much energy during Game 2. Whether that was due to a letdown after Game 1 or signs of a larger problem should start to reveal itself as the series go on.
The Celtics saw a few players — specifically Al Horford — regress to the mean after exploding for big numbers in the opener. Boston will want to right the ship before the playoffs progress.
Last game records
Golden State beat Boston 107-88 Sunday in San Francisco. The Warriors and Celtics are tied at one game apiece.
Matchup Information
Warriors at Celtics Betting Analysis
Golden State Analysis
Betting stats NBA show that Golden State shrugged off the horrible ending to Game 1. The Warriors played an aggressive brand of defense and were able to lock down Boston’s offense from ever getting started. Golden State forced the Celtics into 18 turnovers and was able to collect 15 steals.
The Warriors shot 40.5 percent (15-of-37) from the 3-point line and had 25 assists on 39 made baskets. Steph Curry scored a team-high 29 points and knocked down five 3-pointers. Curry also grabbed six rebounds and handed out four assists.
Golden State had five players score in double figures. The Warriors saw Jordan Pole have a breakout performance knocking down five 3-pointers and scoring 17 points. Golden State also held a 40-24 edge in points in the paint in Game 3.
Boston Analysis
Anyone making NBA picks on the Celtics would know how a number of different performances impacted the second game of the series. Boston center Al Horford, who made a career-high six 3-pointers in Game 1, was limited to two points on 1-of-4 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds in 28 minutes. Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum made a turnaround in the opposite direction.
After shooting 3-of-17 in Game 1, Tatum bounced back with a 28-point performance and made six 3-pointers. Tatum also grabbed six rebounds and handed out three assists. However, the rest of the Boston offense would struggle. Only two other players scored in double figures. Jaylen Brown scored 17 points, while Derrick White added 12.
The Celtics didn’t get many easy looks against Golden State. Boston was limited to 37.5 percent shooting from the field despite shooting 40.5 percent from the 3-point line. The Celtics were competitive defensively, recording seven blocked shots.
Updates
Andre Iguodala is listed as day-to-day for Golden State. Boston doesn’t have any injuries of note.
- The Warriors are 51-45-4 against the spread.
- The Celtics are 57-43-2 against the spread.
- The over is 46-52-2 in Golden State’s games this season.
- The over is 49-51-2 in Boston’s games this season.
- The Warriors are 1-1 against the spread this season.
- The Celtics are 24-13 against the spread following a loss.
Warriors at Celtics Betting Preview
NBA betting odds have Boston as a 3.5-point favorite. Golden State is +133 on the moneyline, while the Celtics are -157. The over/under is set at 212.5.
Warriors at Celtics Betting Prediction
The Warriors showed in Game 2 they are more than capable of matching Boston’s defensive intensity. The question for Golden State will be if the Warriors can continue their balanced offensive attack throughout the game. In Game 2, the Warriors shot at an OK percentage but were able to rally behind their defense to win the game.
If Golden State could only play in the third quarter, the Warriors may be one of the best teams in NBA history. Golden State outscored Boston in both games so far.
The Warriors will ride another second-half surge to take back the home-court advantage and score a road victory over Boston. It’s been a while since the Celtics have played in a finals game at home, but Golden State will find a way to spoil the party.
How to bet Warriors at Celtics
Bet Golden State +133.
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