The Boston Celtics squandered a great chance to capture all the momentum in Game 4 of the 2022 NBA Finals. They lost 107-97, allowing Stephen Curry to score 43 points. Jayson Tatum's inefficient 23 points and Jaylen Brown's 21 points weren't enough. The series is now tied at 2-2.
The Celtics had leads of at least five points in each quarter of Game 4. They were well in control even as Curry converted deep shots at will. When the fourth quarter rolled around, they looked nothing like the team that had previously dominated in winning time.
Boston will now be back on the road for Monday night's contest. Among other things, they have to retain their aggression on offense and figure out some way to slow down Curry. Game 5 will be a massive game that will end with one team getting in a position to seal the deal.
Let's get into some Celtics Game 5 bold predictions.
Boston Celtics: 3 bold predictions for Game 5 of 2022 NBA Finals vs. Warriors
3. Daniel Theis makes it back into the rotation
The Celtics saw that when the Warriors play Kevon Looney for a significant amount of time, they aren't able to own the glass. His brute force and nose for rebounds, especially on the offensive end, make it much tougher for Robert Williams and Al Horford.
With Looney likely seeing an uptick in his minutes after proving his worth and Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green also doing damage on the boards, Boston may look to implement more size into their lineup on occasion. To do this, they will likely have to turn to Daniel Theis for a little bit.
Theis may only play a handful of minutes but Celtics coach Ime Udoka doesn't have many other options. His ability to box out and set screens could make him useful, at least in the first half, to keep Golden State from dominating the glass. Udoka could also revert to the Horford-Williams pairing in the frontcourt down the stretch.
2. Jayson Tatum breaks his Game 1 assists total
Tatum has done everything for the Celtics besides score efficiently. He is getting to his spots, driving into the defense, showcasing some tremendous passing and is bringing it on the defensive end. His shooting efficiency has taken a nosedive, so he could revert to taking a more well-rounded approach.
Through four games, Tatum is only shooting efficiently on above-the-break triples. He is shooting awfully inside the arc. Although the Celtics shouldn't take the ball from him overall, they should get him more focused on playmaking. Getting him into a mindset centered on quick decision-making is imperative, as dribbling too much has led to blown opportunities and turnovers.
With an average of 7.8 assists per game in the NBA Finals, Tatum has done a great job with playmaking. No other player is even averaging six. Tatum recorded 13 assists and 17 shots (the fewest he has attempted over a single Finals game) in Game 1, which worked out for Boston. Having him lean into a floor general may seem counterintuitive for such a great scorer but it's the best way to make him more impactful.
1. The Celtics fall in Game 5
The 2022 NBA Finals have been very competitive, so Boston can easily regain control in the series in Game 5. However, the Warriors just rediscovered a great recipe for success and will get the chance to try it again at home.
Curry isn't slowing down unless the Celtics reshape their defense. When the players around him can make their shots, the Celtics have a very difficult time stopping them. Meanwhile, Tatum's scoring deficiency in the NBA Finals leaves Boston in need of scoring. Jaylen Brown has done his part as but can be neutralized by attacking his weak handles. The rest of the roster relies on those two to create advantages and get open shots.
Although Boston's offense is elite, the Warriors' defense is stepping up and they just proved they can dominate the fourth quarter, too. Golden State is in a tremendous position to win Game 5. The Celtics need to get the best out of Tatum and regain control of the paint in order to come out on top.
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