The Boston Celtics handed the Warriors their first playoff loss at Chase Center on Thursday night, erasing a 15-point second half deficit with arguably the team’s best quarter of the postseason.
Boston outscored Golden State 40-16 in the final quarter, running away with the road win to take a 1-0 series lead. However, the way the Celtics did it on both ends of the floor deserves a closer breakdown.
Celtics on offense
—Boston made 68.2 percent of their baskets in the period (15-of-22 from the field.
—The Celtics shot 75 percent from 3-point range (9-of-12) with four different players hitting multiple 3s in the period.
—Boston had just one turnover in the entire period, giving them a five shot advantage over Golden State by getting a shot up on almost every possession.
—Ime Udoka stuck with Payton Pritchard for eight minutes over Marcus Smart, rolling with the reserve guard as the team was in the midst of a frantic comeback featuring him and White in the backcourt.
—Boston scored 10 points on four Warriors turnovers.
—The Celtics assisted 12 of their 15 made field goals. Tatum and Brown combined for nine of the team’s 12 assists.
Fourth quarter offensive stats
Al Horford: 11 points (4/4 FG), +19
Jaylen Brown: 10 points, (4/6 FG), 5 assists +27
Marcus Smart: 6 points, (2/2 FG)
Derrick White: 6 points (2/3 FG)
Payton Pritchard: 5 points (2/3 FG), 4 rebounds, +18
Rob Williams 2 points (1/1 FG)
Jayson Tatum: 0 points, (0/3 FG), 4 assists, +27
Celtics on defense
—The Warriors scored just 16 points in the period on 7-of-17 shooting from the field as well as 25 percent shooting from 3-point range
—Golden State failed to make a free throw attempt for the entire period with Draymond Green missing his only two attempts.
—Boston committed just one foul in the entire fourth quarter.
—After grabbing 11 offensive rebounds in the first three quarters, the Warriors were limited to just one offensive rebound in the final frame.
The Celtics will look to carry over their fourth quarter momentum in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night.
Story by Brian Robb, masslive.com
