Boston Celtics key to victory No. 2) Attack the paint
The fact of the matter is, Boston won’t keep pace with Golden State from deep.
Their best bet is to be as efficient as possible and get good looks, and the best looks for the C’s are going to be in the paint.
With James Wiseman still on the shelf, the Warriors have been relying heavily on Kevon Looney as their starting five. Looney does multiple things at an okay level, but his defense leaves much to be desired.
With Al Horford showing that he can be relied upon to turn back the clock when needed, this could be a night where the Celtics call on number 42. Horford’s veteran presence should help to get quality looks inside and open up the floor for his teammates.
Robert Williams III could also play a big factor in the matchup as he squares up very well with Looney. Rob’s rim running abilities have been on full display this season, and against the Warriors, he could be in for a big night in the paint.
While Golden State does not allow many points in the paint on a typical night, the Celtics match up well enough to exploit this area.
Even with Draymond Green back on the floor, the shamrocks’ best bet is to continue to play downhill and attack the rim. We’ve seen the continued ascension of Jayson Tatum, partially thanks to his dominance driving the lane this year.
If the Boston Celtics can focus on quality looks through Al Horford and Rob Williams, they have the best shot at coming out with the W.