Warriors beat Celtics in pivotal Game 5 to take 3-2 Finals lead
After coughing up a 16-point lead, the Golden State Warriors recovered with a dominant fourth quarter to knock off the Boston Celtics 104-94 in Game 5 for a 3-2 NBA Finals lead.
The Warriors can clinch their fourth championship in the last eight seasons Thursday in Boston.
The win marked the first time Stephen Curry failed to hit a shot from beyond the arc in his playoff career, going 0-for-9. Andrew Wiggins took the leading role, putting up a team-high 26 points and 13 rebounds.
"(Wiggins is) definitely enjoying the playoffs," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said postgame. "He loves the challenge, he loves the competition."
Kerr added: "He's found such a crucial role on our team, and I think that empowers him."
This marks two consecutive strong performances for Wiggins after the Canadian finished with 17 points and 16 rebounds in Golden State's Game 4 win. It's only the second time in Wiggins' career that he's registered back-to-back double-doubles, according to SB Nation.
"It's something I've dreamt about for sure. Being in the league, this is the ultimate stage; it doesn't get bigger than this," Wiggins said postgame about making the most of his first Finals appearance. "I was out there just being aggressive. It was a good game."
Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum led the way for Boston with 27 points but contributed four of the team's 18 turnovers in the loss.
"Playing in the crowd too much is causing a lot of these turnovers," Celtics head coach Ime Udoka said. "When we're at our best, it's simple ball movement."
The Celtics began the game ice cold, missing their first 12 3-point attempts. However, after trailing 51-39 at halftime, Boston made eight straight threes to take a five-point lead near the end of the third quarter.
Golden State gained momentum when reserve guard Jordan Poole banked in a buzzer-beating three at the end of the third to give the team a one-point lead going into the fourth, an advantage the Warriors never relinquished.
"I always want those," Poole said. "My teammates look for me on those. The sliders kind of go up when the clock goes down."
The Celtics' loss marked the first time they've suffered consecutive defeats this postseason. They'd previously been 8-0 after a loss.