For a half, game two of the NBA Finals had all the hallmarks of an epic showdown. Then, the Golden State Warriors went on a 35-14 tear in the third quarter and turned a tight contest into a laugher. The Boston Celtics fell behind by as much as 29 and trailed by so much that Golden State’s Stephen Curry didn’t have to play in the fourth quarter. The Warriors won, 107-88.
In the early going, Golden State looked flustered by Boston’s defensive pressure. The Celtics were intent on turning Curry into a driver instead of letting him launch threes, and while Curry made effective passes to set up teammates, his teammates kept missing layups and open shots.