Final thoughts
That’s where the difference in experience comes in handy. The Celtics had a chance in Game 5, but they kept committing turnovers, missing free throws and letting the officiating bother them. Instead, a possible win ends up being a double-digit loss and they will need to win Thursday’s Game 6 at home just to extend the series.
The Guardian will continue our coverage of the 2022 NBA Finals until the bitter end but that will conclude tonight’s liveblog. Thanks to everybody who followed along with us today as the Golden State Warriors took a 3-2 series advantage, particularly those who contributed. You can read a full report of tonight’s game below. Ciao!
Updated
The Golden State Warriors are now one win away from winning the 2022 NBA Finals!
Celtics 94-104 Warriors, FINAL
As expected, the Celtics unleash the bench players. I apologize once more to Juwan Morgan for forgetting that he’s on the team. Nesmith gets to the line twice, making 3-of-4 free throws and Luke Kornet hits a three that means absolutely nothing. The Warriors win Game 5 of the NBA Finals!
Updated
Celtics 88-104 Warriors, 1:19, fourth quarter
Wiggins with a dunk. Brown makes two free throws. Thompson hits the dagger three. Smart with a layup. Payton tips in a Curry miss and the Celtics call a timeout, presumably to call off the dogs.
Celtics 84-97 Warriors, 2:43, fourth quarter
Kerr’s challenge is unsuccessful and Green fouls out of an NBA Finals game for the third time in five attempts. There’s an accomplishment. Smart hits both of his free throws.
Curry scores for the Warriors and I’m calling this one for Golden State now.
Celtics 82-95 Warriors, 3:01, fourth quarter
Wiggins’ big night continues as he hits a jumper to give the Warriors a 14-point lead. Tatum briefly quiets the crowd with a three-pointer but Payton hits a two-pointer right back.
There’s a sixth foul on Green but Kerr wants a challenge.
Celtics 79-91 Warriors, 3:54, fourth quarter
Brown misses a three-pointer on the Celtics possession out of the break. Curry, who the Celtics defense has done wonders against, misses a three-pointer of his own.
Into the break we get some jawing between both teams. Nothing seems to come to it, however.
Celtics 79-91 Warriors, 4:40, fourth quarter
Celtics get two trips to the free throw line. Brown makes one-of-two. Tatum misses both. You just can’t do that this late in the game with time on your side. Curry scores on the other end and Boston takes a timeout but this feels like it’s close to closing time.
Celtics 78-89 Warriors, 5:28, fourth quarter
The Celtics commit their 18th turnover of the game and that’s killer for them (or any team). They prevent the Warriors from scoring but the clock is not on their side.
Never mind, they can’t even do that now as Wiggins makes another basket.
Celtics 78-87 Warriors, 6:24, fourth quarter
And Tatum makes his second free throw. Wiggins hits a layup for the Dubs.
Celtics 77-85 Warriors, 7:44, fourth quarter
Finally, the Celtics score. Brown cuts it to nine with a basket. Plus, Green picks up his fifth foul. Tatum gets to the line where he makes his first free throw before the Warriors call a timeout.
Celtics 74-85 Warriors, 8:22, fourth quarter
Marcus Smart with a technical foul. Arguing with the refs has been a problem for Boston all series long. Poole hits the free throw. Then he picks up an offensive foul. This is unraveling for the Celtics.
Oh wow and now Poole hits a jumper. Celtics still haven’t scored.
Email from Elliott Meister:
How important do u think winning this game is?
It would be a helpful moral victory.
Celtics 74-82 Warriors, 9:30, fourth quarter
Grant Williams gets called for a foul. Not a solid start for Boston. Maybe they exchanged quarters? Oof, that Tatum travel didn’t help. Thompson hits a three-pointer and that’s an eight-point lead out of nowhere. Celtics call a timeout.
Celtics 74-79 Warriors, 10:24, fourth quarter
White fouls Poole, putting him on the line. He makes both free throws.
Celtics 74-77 Warriors, 10:51, fourth quarter
Both sides should be okay with that third quarter. It’s all about who wins this one. Tatum’s attempt to score first doesn’t go in, while Wiggins’s does.
Yeah going to have to share that one:
Jordan Poole with another long-distance buzzer-beater on ABC! pic.twitter.com/zkrcFE2uxC
— NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2022
Celtics 74-75 Warriors, end of the third quarter
Poole banks in a 33-foot jumper at the buzzer to give Golden State a one-point lead after three quarters! What an amazing quarter of basketball. This is going to be a fun fourth!
Celtics 74-72 Warriors, 41.8, third quarter
Jordan Poole hits a three! Could we be headed for a wild finish?
Payton says maybe: he hits a shot to give Golden State the lead for a few seconds, until Brown responds with a layup, drawn foul and a free throw.
Celtics 71-67 Warriors, 1:25, third quarter
Smart draws a foul on Thompson. He misses the first free throw and makes the second.
Celtics 70-67 Warriors, 1:54, third quarter
Smart drives to the basket and bounces one off the glass. Thompson hits another three! It’s a one-point game!
Oh, not after that Robert Williams slam.
Celtics 66-64 Warriors, 3:07, third quarter
Klay Thompson with a three. You knew they weren’t going to be quiet on that end for too long.
Celtics 66-61 Warriors, 3:35, third quarter
Grant Williams has himself a sequence: a block, a shot off a Robert Williams rebound, and a drawn-foul. He completes the three-point play with a free throw.
Celtics 63-61 Warriors, 4:09, third quarter
Gary Payton II makes a layup to make it a one-possession game.
Celtics 63-59 Warriors, 5:10, third quarter
Curry hits a floater to cut the Celtics lead to one. Smart can’t score on his first attempt but the C’s get the rebound and he nails a three.
Looney keeps the Warriors in by scoring near the basket but Brown tips in Tatum’s miss! Now the offenses are cooking.
Trends are just that: trends. They are not predictors. That’s the message of this Warriors third quarter.
Celtics 58-55 Warriors, 6:27, third quarter
Wiggins picks up a foul. Smart hits a three-pointer and we start over again.
Never mind, Horford hits another three-pointer for the lead! We said that those would start dropping for Boston eventually after their 0-for-12 start from beyond the arc, but this is a tad ridiculous. Warriors take a timeout and that is probably a good decision on their part.
Celtics 52-55 Warriors, 7:10, third quarter
Smart is called for a foul. Thompson goes to the line for free throws. He makes both.
Updated
Celtics 52-53 Warriors, 7:32, third quarter
Tatum with his fourth three-pointer! It’s a one-point game!
Updated
Celtics 49-53 Warriors, 8:03, third quarter
Finally, Warriors score in the third, Thompson hits a pull-up jumper.
Updated
Celtics 49-51 Warriors, 9:32, third quarter
Offensive foul on Curry. Celtics have a chance to tie but Smart misses a jumper.
It was never going to be that easy. Not in these finals.
Celtics 49-51 Warriors, 10:15, third quarter
Tatum hits another three-pointer and like that it’s a one possession game. A dazed Steve Kerr calls a Warriors timeout.
Updated
Celtics 46-51 Warriors, 10:56, third quarter
Tatum with a three-pointer and this is suddenly a five-point game! Brilliant start to the second half for Boston.
Celtics 43-51 Warriors, 11:08, third quarter
Thompson immediately picks up a foul, putting Brown on the line. He hits both free throws. I literally just copy-and-pasted that.
Start of the second half
Celtics 41-51 Warriors, 11:33, third quarter
Thompson immediately picks up a foul, putting Brown on the line. He hits both free throws.
Are the Warriors winning this game with defense or are the Celtics losing it with bad decision making? Yes, the answer is yes.
You know the numbers.
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) June 14, 2022
Through four games in the Finals....
3rd Quarter: Golden State +49
4th Quarter: Boston +31
The Celtics are going to have to reverse these third-quarter trends, it feels like, if they want to avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time this postseason.
Andrew Wiggins
Andrew Wiggins was this close to being dismissed as yet another draft bust. All that he’s done with the Warriors is revive his career. Now, he’s scoring 16 points and collecting seven rebounds in the first half of an NBA Finals Game 4.
Halftime thoughts
The bad news for Boston is that they came out listless and the Warriors have led, mostly comfortably, for the entire first half.
The other bad news for Boston is that the Warriors are the best third quarter team in the NBA.
Celtics 39-51 Warriors, end of the first half
Celtics 39-51 Warriors, end of the first half.
That doesn’t help their cause. Wiggins, the best player in the game so far, makes an easy layup. White gets one of two free throws after being fouled. Curry scores, Smart turns the ball over, Green misses the final shot.
The Celtics play a much better second quarter and somehow the Warriors’ lead is one point higher than it was after the first.
Celtics 38-47 Warriors, 53.5, second quarter
Celtics finally get to the line. Horford makes one of two free throws. Curry scores on the next Golden State side. No separation for Boston?
Well that will help, Tatum with a layup. They just have to keep this in single-digits before the half.
Celtics 35-45 Warriors, 1:56, second quarter
You’ll never believe this, but Curry has made both of his free throws.
So much for taking advantage of free throws. It’s been all Golden State on that end.
Celtics 35-43 Warriors, 2:18, second quarter
Back-to-back baskets from Wiggins. I’d call a timeout if I were Boston… and I’d be wrong. Smart scores with a three-pointer. After Smart fouls Curry for free throws, Boston takes a timeout.
Celtics 32-39 Warriors, 3:51, second quarter
Finally, a Celtics player hits a three! It’s Tatum. Of course, Payton scores a two-pointer right back.
Oh maybe this is a trend: Horford connects and that’s back-to-back threes after laying a goose egg from long distance to start the game.
Celtics 26-37 Warriors, 4:49, second quarter
Curry misses a three-pointer. What is going on here? Instead, Wiggins tries to get one the old fashioned way, hitting a floater, picking up a foul and knocking down a free throw. Warriors lead is 11 again.
Celtics 26-34 Warriors, 5:05, second quarter
Okay, Celtics just six points down. Thompson picks up a foul here, that puts Boston in the bonus. With the long-ball not working, that could be part of their strategy for the rest of this quarter.
Brown, however, picks up his first personal foul. Porter and Tatum both miss threes and Green hits a jumper. Finally, the Warriors score here, courtesy of Green.
Celtics 26-32 Warriors, 6:47, second quarter
Warriors can’t score on their possession. Tatum attempts a three-pointer, and these just aren’t going down for Boston. Payton’s three misses. Something of a brick contest here, so when Williams gets the ball he just lays one down. Celtics whittling down the Warriors lead.
Celtics 24-32 Warriors, 8:36, second quarter
Marcus Smart hits a jumper to cut the lead to single-digits and force the Warriors to take a timeout.
Celtics 24-32 Warriors, 9:57, second quarter
On the line, Green makes both free throws. Marcus Smart makes a floater for Boston.
Finally, a bad turnover for Golden State, this one snatched away by Derrick White. White misses a three-pointer, but a loose ball foul on Poole means they maintain possession. Tatum hits a jumper on this second chance opportunity.
Celtics 18-30 Warriors, 9:57, second quarter
Warriors aren’t playing amazing here, but they’re doing what they need to do while the Celtics continue to struggle. Celtics haven’t hit a single three-pointer in this game so far, which is something they kind of need to do against Golden State.
Draymond Green fouls Robert Williams, who hits two free throws but Jordan Poole hits his first basket of the game on the other end. Green then picks off a terrible Tatum pass, forcing Williams to foul Green on the rim to prevent an easy layup.
Updated
Celtics 16-27 Warriors, 10:49, second quarter
Celtics get the ball to start the second. Pritchard misses a three-pointer, but a foul on Nemanja Bjelica allows them to keep the ball. They still can’t do anything with the ball, however.
Other Than That, How Was The Play Mrs. Lincoln? Department
Celtics shoot 34 percent in first quarter, go 0-of-5 from 3, just one free throw attempt and four turnover. They are lucky to be down just 11.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) June 14, 2022
Celtics 16-27 Warriors, end of the first quarter
Disaster ending for the Celtics: Williams gets called for a foul right before the buzzer went off. It’s a shooting foul that puts Wiggins on the line. Plus, Boston head coach Ime Udoka gets called for a technical foul for arguing it. So much for any momentum for the Celtics for that mini-run at the end of the quarter.
Curry—somehow—badly misses the technical free throw. Wiggins only makes one of his free throws. So, that could have gone worse but still terrible end-of-quarter game management.
Celtics 16-26 Warriors, 30.3, first quarter
Tatum with back-to-back makes. The Celtics are desperately going to need him if they want to get back into this game. They also need more stops, which they do not get here. Wiggins scores.
Make that back-to-back-to-back shots by Tatum, who hits a layup. Robert Williams gets a put-back and cuts the Warriors lead to ten points.
Celtics 10-24 Warriors, 1:41, first quarter
Payton Pritchard gets into the game and immediately goes out of bounds. Curry gets a lucky bounce on a jumper and then, FINALLY, Tatum attempts (and makes) a shot.
Celtics 8-22 Warriors, 2:38, first quarter
Brown gets called for a foul, Payton gets on the line. He hits both free throws. Still waiting for the C’s to realize that the game has started.
Celtics 8-20 Warriors, 3:14, first quarter
And Payton hits a three-pointer. This could be over early if the Celtics don’t wake up.
Tatum zero shot attempts or assists, one turnover, exits the game -11.
— Jason Timpf (@_JasonLT) June 14, 2022
I’m starting to wonder if he will ever show up to the NBA Finals.
Not ideal for Boston. I feel like I’ve said that before.
Celtics 8-17 Warriors, 3:50, first quarter
The Celtics are doing a great job in limiting Curry, the problem is this time around the rest of the Warriors are burning them. We get a Warriors timeout after Payton secures a rebound on a Marcus Smart miss.
Celtics 8-17 Warriors, 4:13, first quarter
Second foul on Looney, we’ll see if that’s a factor. Gary Payton II spells Wiggins. This time around, Brown drives through the Warriors defense for a layup and gets a third foul on Looney. He has a chance for a three-point play, but can’t cash in the free throw.
Celtics 6-17 Warriors, 4:54, first quarter
And a long-distance make from Thompson. They are just owning this first quarter.
Celtics 6-14 Warriors, 5:26, first quarter
Finally, the Celtics score. Horford hits a hook shot to put the Celtics on the board after an endless drought.
Celtics 4-14 Warriors, 6:26, first quarter
Here’s Looney in for porter. Derrick White is in for the Celtics, probably the right move. Horford misses a shot after the timeout. Nothing doing for Boston so far. Thompson, of course, hits a jumper and the Warriors already have a ten-point lead.
I see the Celtics decided to do the third quarter early tonight
— Dr. Daniel fromSport, Esq. (@DanielfromSport) June 14, 2022
Maybe it’s going to be out of their system?
Celtics 4-12 Warriors, 7:28, first quarter
Brown and Wiggins trade failed three-point attempts. Both of them looked like good looks. After a brief offensive surge, it looks like both teams are finding a defensive rhythm here. After Wiggins blocks Brown, Green (who looks better here than he has since Game 2) dunks and forces Boston to take an early timeout. Their offense has been utterly lifeless against Golden State.
Celtics 4-10 Warriors, 9:09, first quarter
Brown finds Williams for an alley-oop. Green hits a layup. Then, Brown turns the ball over. Wiggins gets a jumper in the paint and it feels like it’s all Warriors early on.
Celtics 2-6 Warriors, 10:01, first quarter
Brown scores first for the Celtics, followed promptly by an answer from Wiggins. Draymond Green gets called for an early foul, fouling Smart. Boston can’t score on their possession. Curry hits a layup for Golden State.
Opening tip
Celtics 0-2 Warriors, 11:42, first quarter
Warriors win the opening tip. Porter starts off with a layup.
National Anthem
Today’s anthem performer? Another Santana veteran: singer Tony Lindsay. No frills, big booming voice, very smooth delivery. 7/10.
The real MVP of this series is whoever has been choosing the Gang Starr songs that ABC has been playing to transition from the pregame show to the broadcast proper. R.I.P. Guru.
Michael Wilbon also has the Warriors scoring 120 points today. So at least I’m in good company, even if my prediction doesn’t pan out.
Golden State Warriors starting lineup
Andrew Wiggins, F
Otto Porter Jr, F
Draymond Green, C/F
Klay Thompson, G
Stephen Curry, G
Kevon Looney is on the bench rather than Draymond Green, that’s an interesting move from the Warriors but one imagines that Looney will be playing starting-type minutes. Porter has had a fantastic series, however, and has earned starting honors.
Boston Celtics starting lineup
Jayson Tatum, G/F
Al Horford, F
Robert Williams, C
Jaylen Brown, F/G
Marcus Smart, G
Jayson Tatum
If this series was supposed to be Jayson Tatum vs. Steph Curry, well clearly that’s not really a contest. Tatum has been alternating between good games and subpar ones, something which is partly due to how the Warriors have been defending him.
In the Finals, Jayson Tatum is shooting:
— CelticsBlog (@celticsblog) June 12, 2022
0-for-5 when guarded by Bjelica
5-for-11 when guarded by Curry
3-for-8 when guarded by Looney
He and Ime Udoka outlined the roots of his struggles: https://t.co/mmZq8lNzfC pic.twitter.com/nG8SGD7Y1V
Stephen A. Smith is going off here on the prediction that Curry could win Finals MVP even in a losing effort. That is as good of a time as any to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the greatest sports-related tweet of all time. ALL TIME.
PF Chang's waiter: "[Recites specials] Stephen A. Smith: (Acts surprised) "To me, that's preposterous. Crab Rangoon, things of that nature."
— David Roth (@david_j_roth) June 13, 2012
Officiating news
We have our officials for the game and Celtics fans might not be too happy about it.
The Celtics are 3-12 in their last 15 playoff games that Tony Brothers has officiated. https://t.co/HbKkZef3N5
— Dante Turo (@DanteOnDeck) June 13, 2022
Predictions
Lets go Boston! @HunterFelt predictions?
— Ross (@rwlancas) June 14, 2022
Hey, that’s a perfect setup for this next update! Thanks, Ross!
Before the series started, I predicted the Warriors in 6. Right now, it feels an awful lot like this is going to go seven games, but since my prediction is still in play I’m obligated to stick with it. So that means that the Warriors win today. Maybe we’ll have an overtime thriller this time around, it feels like this series deserves one of those. Warriors 120-114 Celtics.
Updated
Email from Richard Hirst:
Hi Hunter
Question from a British guy who doesn’t know a lot about basketball and is following it because he has become a GSW supporter on account of Steve Kerr: how significant is home advantage usually, since the evidence from this series is that it makes no difference, given both teams have won and lost at home?
It usually makes a lot of difference! Home teams feed off the energy of the crowds, officials tend to favor them and they don’t have to deal with the hassle of getting familiar with a different city and a different stadium.
It just hasn’t been a factor in this particular series really, mostly because the Celtics are a really weird team that plays better on the road than at home. Just like they play better after losses than wins. I cover them for a living and even I don’t quite understand it.
Preamble
The Boston Celtics had a golden opportunity to take a commanding 3-1 NBA Finals lead back on Friday, but Steph Curry had other thoughts. Curry looked like peak Curry in Game 4, dropping 43 points and collecting 10 rebounds in a performance that could guarantee him his first Finals MVP should the Warriors win two of the next three.
The Celtics had 16 turnovers in the contest, something which has been par for the course for them throughout these Finals and, indeed, this entire postseason. However, should they manage to fall short of Banner 18, Boston will have to look and see whether better ball security will come as their core gains more experience or if they need a roster overhaul.
So far, this series has gone just about how most of us could have predicted. In the first four games, the road team and home team managed to go 2-2. Just when one side seemed to be putting together momentum, the other has counterpunched. This Finals matchup was no fluke, these are the two best teams in basketball. Now, we go into uncharted territory: one of these teams has to win two out of the next three games. There are no tie situations here, but… who?
The Warriors have home-court advantage but the Celtics are the best road team in the NBA. The Celtics are the more talented team, but the Warriors have managed to exploit their experience gap. Boston has the best defense, Golden State has the best player. Today’s Game 5 should clarify things, but its winner can’t afford to rest because either team has the ability to win two straight against the other (even if the Celtics haven’t been beaten twice in a row this postseason, that’s no guarantee of invincibility).
We’d like to hear from you throughout today’s game. You can email us via hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com or tweet us at @HunterFelt and we’ll use your thoughts in this liveblog. It’s Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center! Opening tip is scheduled at 9:00 pm EST (although it will probably be slightly later than that) and we’ll be back with further updates before then.
NBA finals schedule
Before we start this evening’s coverage, here’s how things have shaped up so far – and what’s to come with the series tied at 2-2.
Game 1: Boston Celtics 120-108 Golden State Warriors. The Celtics used a huge fourth quarter to roar past the Warriors in the series opener.
Game 2: Boston Celtics 88-107 Golden State Warriors. Jordan Poole’s halfcourt buzzer-beater polished a dominant Warriors win over the Celtics.
Game 3: Golden State Warriors 100-116 Boston Celtics. Boston moved into a 2-1 series lead thanks to strong performances from their core players.
Game 4: Golden State Warriors 107-97 Boston Celtics. Stephen Curry was at his sparkling best with 43 points to leave the series poised at 2-2.
Game 5: Tonight, 9pm ET at Golden State. (TV: ABC in the US).
Game 6: Thursday June 16, 9pm ET at Boston. (TV: ABC in the US).
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday June 19, 8pm ET at Golden State. (TV: ABC in the US).
