The NBA Finals have been a seesaw affair thus far, both from game to game and within individual quarters. If that trend continues, the Golden State Warriors should be looking to punch right back after getting dealt their second defeat in Boston.

But the Celtics aren't just going to get complacent with a 2-1 lead heading into Game 4. For Stephen Curry and the Warriors to take the series back to the Bay Area with a 2-2 tie, they're going to have to make some changes from their lackluster performance in Game 3.

 

Here are three (3) bold predictions for the Warriors in Game 4.

*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Golden State Warriors: 3 bold predictions for Game 4 of NBA Finals vs. Celtics

#1 – Warriors get a vintage Draymond Green stat line

There's probably nobody more talked about after scoring two points in NBA Finals history than Draymond Green. The Warriors forward took just four shots, making one of them while having more fouls (6) than rebounds (4) or assists (3).

He was also the primary subject of the Celtics crowd's ire the entire game and while he would never admit to it bothering him, it likely played a part in posting arguably his worst game of his playoff career since the Warriors dynasty began.

Most superstars come back from a poor showing and pour in 30 or 40 points in a revenge game after playing so poorly in the contest prior. But that's never been Draymond Green's MO. Instead, the Warriors star will likely be 100% engaged to overcome his poor showing on both ends of the floor.

Draymond Green may chip in 7-8 points on the night in Game 4, but expect him to flirt with a triple-double. Eight rebounds, nine assists, a few steals and blocks, and a whole lot of physicality that the Warriors sorely need after getting outmanned by the Celtics in Game 4.

#2 – Kevon Looney is the Warriors X-factor

Related NewsArticle continues below
Dwyane Wade looks on at halftime between France and Canada in a men’s basketball quarterfinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena.
Dwyane Wade’s savage 2-word message to Jimmy Butler during Warriors’ Game 5 loss
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (center) is flanked by head coach Steve Kerr and forward Draymond Green as he is presented his gold medal for his performance for Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris before taking on the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center.
Why Warriors can ‘look forward to’ 25-26 season after tough Timberwolves loss

Speaking of physicality, Golden State's best bet to match the size of the Boston side is none other than Kevon Looney. The Celtics outmuscled the Warriors all evening, winning the rebounding battle by a staggering 47-31 margin while grabbing more than double the visitor's share of offensive rebounds, 15-6.

Yet somehow, Kevon Looney played in just over 16 minutes in the contest, his fewest total in the last nine playoffs games for the Warriors. He also logged zero minutes in the fourth quarter when Robert Williams played nearly the entire final 12 minutes, overlapping with Al Horford as well. For what it's worth, Williams led the Celtics with a team-high +14 on the evening.

Steve Kerr was clearly trying to maximize floor spacing in using Jordan Poole and Otto Porter Jr. instead of Kevon Looney to close out the contest. With Draymond Green already serving as a non-factor on the scoring end, having Looney as a non-shooter certainly does clog things up quite a bit. But given how the Celtics were having their way with them from a physicality standpoint, particularly on the boards, having Kevon Looney to matchup, set screens, grab rebounds, and keep balls alive might be worth it.

Looney's come up large in the Warriors' two closeout wins in the previous rounds. He pulled down 22 rebounds in Game 6 against the Memphis Grizzlies then had 10 points and 18 rebounds in Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks. Golden State might need him to bring out that big-time game early in the NBA Finals.

#3 – Stephen Curry drops 40 points

Despite Golden State staring down at a 1-2 hole, there's little doubt that Stephen Curry has far and away been the best player in the NBA Finals thus far.

He's averaging 31.3 points with a nearly identical shooting clip from the field (48.5%) and from beyond the arc (48.6%). The former is very efficient for a high-volume perimeter scorer. The latter puts him on another plane of existence given that he's taking more than 12 threes per game with defenders from the NBA's top-ranked defense draped around him at all times.

The next highest scorer is Jaylen Brown at 22.7 points per game, nearly 10 points below Steph while shooting at much more pedestrian shooting clips.

But at the end of the day, it's not about who has the best player. The only stat that matters is the one that has the Warriors down 1-2 in the NBA Finals. For as great as Stephen Curry has been, he knows he'll likely have to take it up a notch to take back control of this series.

While it's not an elimination game just yet, falling behind 1-3 in the NBA Finals and needing to win three straight is not an ideal situation. If any team knows that, it's Golden State. Look for Stephen Curry to leave it all out on the line in Game 4.