The Golden State Warriors have won the NBA 2021-2022 Championship
A monumental achievement by a team that were given 1000-1 odds to win the Championship at the beginning of the season. Klay Thompson had missed 900+ days with multiple devastating leg injuries. Draymond Green has lost a big step offensively, rarely scoring in double digits. The addition of Andrew Wiggins, a previous number 1 pick who many thought was a solid rotational player at best. And role players that although high in the draft, had not yet been given the chance to develop into Finals contributers. All valid points, however they all forgot one thing… Wardell Stephen Curry.
The Warriors have now won their 4th Championship in 8 years – 2015, 2017, 2018 and now 2022. Their 21-0 run in Game 6 is the largest scoring run in a Finals game in at least 50 years. You can see that 21-0 run here.
Stephen Curry
He’s done it. He’s completed his monumentally impressive season with the 2021-2022 NBA Finals MVP Trophy. Steph had another incredible game in the Finals and there was no doubt in anyone’s mind who this trophy was deserving to. Curry scored 34 points, went 6-11 from 3, had 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and played impressive defence all game long. He finishes the season with the Kobe Bryant All Star MVP, the 3s made leader (again), the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP and the NBA Finals MVP. There really isn’t much more Steph can accomplish on a basketball court that he hasn’t already proven.
Steph’s averages
Steph averaged 31.2 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in the 6 games in the Finals. He hit 31 3 pointers and beat his own record for 91 3 pointers in the entire playoffs (22 games).
Curry breaking down as he secures his 4th NBA title in 8 years:
Draymond Green
Draymond has been the center of much controversy these Finals, podcasting most evenings and smack talking his opponents. The Celtics crowd have been chanting ‘F*** Draymond’ during games. Since winning the Finals, Draymond hasn’t stopped trolling the Celtics, this time posting a picture of himself with a Celtic’s shirt saying ‘it’s all about 18’, referring to the Celtic’s 18th Championship which they missed out on. In place of the banner, it reads, ‘Nope!! Maybe in 23’ meaning, ‘maybe you’ll get a Championship next season’.
https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1537871265540624384
Draymond Green played very well in the last few games of the Finals, especially the Game 6 close out. He played his typical stellar defence and hit a few crucial 3 pointers which he had previously been 0-12 in the playoffs.
Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum had another subpar performance in the Finals putting up 13 points on 6/8 shooting with 5 turnover playing 40 minutes. Bill Simmons was wary that this performance was coming in his recent podcast asking Ryan Russilo whether he thought Tatum was too young or injured. Bill went through a list of some of the greats at age 24, many of whome have not lead their team to a Finals like Tatum has. Tatum had a hard time being defended by Andrew Wiggins who really stepped his game up defensively.
Jaylen Brown was the Celtics best player this game and in this series in general. Tonight he had 34 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in their unfortunate loss.
Boston Celtics
This is a hard blow for the Celtics who did tremendously to get to the Finals after the start they had in the season. They had a chance to push themselves as a franchise above The Los Angeles Lakers with a higher number of banners (18) but alas it was not to be. They are still in a much better position in regards to their roster, cap space and upcoming picks than their Western rivals. The Jays are still young and their new coach, although seems to have unlocked something in the Celtics, is still a rookie and it showed a few times this series up against Steve Kerr. A few new pieces to compliment the Jays and another year of development for young stars like Payton Prichard may be what the Celts need to push them over this hump.
Player Stats
Golden State Warriors |
MIN |
PTS |
FGM-A |
3PM-A |
FTM-A |
ORB |
DRB |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
PF |
+/- |
Andrew WigginsSF |
43:40 |
18 |
7-18 |
4-9 |
0-0 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
+5 |
Otto Porter Jr.PF |
13:02 |
6 |
2-3 |
2-3 |
0-0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
+3 |
Draymond GreenC |
41:49 |
12 |
5-10 |
2-5 |
0-0 |
4 |
8 |
12 |
8 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
+16 |
Klay ThompsonSG |
41:18 |
12 |
5-20 |
2-8 |
0-0 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
+4 |
Stephen CurryPG |
39:55 |
34 |
12-21 |
6-11 |
4-4 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
+8 |
Kevon Looney |
21:40 |
0 |
0-2 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
6 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
Gary Payton II |
19:46 |
6 |
2-6 |
0-2 |
2-2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
+18 |
Jordan Poole |
17:46 |
15 |
5-12 |
3-8 |
2-2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
+11 |
Andre Iguodala |
1:01 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Nemanja Bjelica |
0:00 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Jonathan Kuminga |
0:00 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Damion Lee |
0:00 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Moses Moody |
0:00 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Juan Toscano-Anderson |
0:00 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Boston Celtics |
MIN |
PTS |
FGM-A |
3PM-A |
FTM-A |
ORB |
DRB |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
PF |
+/- |
Jayson TatumSF |
40:12 |
13 |
6-18 |
1-4 |
0-0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
-2 |
Al HorfordPF |
39:12 |
19 |
6-8 |
4-5 |
3-3 |
3 |
11 |
14 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
+2 |
Robert Williams IIIC |
32:37 |
10 |
4-8 |
0-0 |
2-2 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
-1 |
Jaylen BrownSG |
44:00 |
34 |
12-23 |
5-11 |
5-6 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
+1 |
Marcus SmartPG |
38:29 |
9 |
4-12 |
1-2 |
0-0 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
9 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
+7 |
Derrick White |
16:27 |
2 |
1-6 |
0-2 |
0-0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
-26 |
Payton Pritchard |
7:57 |
0 |
0-2 |
0-2 |
0-0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
-20 |
Grant Williams |
15:51 |
3 |
1-2 |
0-1 |
1-1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
-18 |
Nik Stauskas |
1:03 |
0 |
0-1 |
0-1 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-2 |
Aaron Nesmith |
1:03 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
-2 |
Sam Hauser |
1:03 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-2 |
Luke Kornet |
1:03 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
-2 |
Juwan Morgan |
1:01 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Malik Fitts |
0:00 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Daniel Theis |
0:00 |
0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
What can the Celtics do with their roster to push them over that last small hill. Will this dynasty ever end?