Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
In Game 4 of the 2022 NBA Finals, Stephen Curry and the Warriors executed exactly where they didn’t in Game 3 to tie up the series 2-2. Notably, Golden State dominated down low Friday night after being outrebounded and suffocated by the Celtics in Game 3. As a team, the Warriors recorded 16 offensive boards for a total of 55 rebounds for the night. For instance, Draymond Green struggled Wednesday night to finish the night with only four rebounds and three assists before fouling out in the fourth quarter.
In Game 4, Draymond dominated down low for eight rebounds, eight assists, and four steals without getting himself into foul trouble (only three PFs for Green in Game 4 after fouling out in Game 3).
Best Bets of the Night
Game: Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors - 4 (-110)
Similar to Game 3, both teams shot the ball rather evenly. The Warriors finished the night with 44% shooting from the field, and 34.9% from downtown. The Celtics converted 40% of the field goal attempts and 39.5% of their shots from deep. One factor which helped Golden State keep up with the Celtics throughout the game was terrific rebounding. Andrew Wiggins stepped it up off the glass to produce a 17-point and 16-rebound double-double. What really caused the Celtics to lose in Game 3 was a complete offensive collapse in the fourth quarter.
With seven minutes remaining in the game, the Celtics had a 91-86 lead over Golden State. That means Boston was outscored 21-6 in the second half of the fourth quarter to lose Game 4 107-97. With Golden State back home, expect their offense to shoot better than they did on the road and secure a home victory in Game 5.
Bet: Golden State Warriors -4 (-110)
Throughout the 2022 NBA Playoffs, the Warriors shot 49.4% from the field and 40.7% from downtown in 11 games played at home. For their nine road games, the Warriors were less efficient on average averaging 47.2 FG% (2.2% less efficient from the field) and 34.9% (-5.8% less efficient from 3PT range). The numbers reveal clearly that for the 2022 NBA Playoffs, the Warriors have been more efficient scoring. With the prospect of taking a 3-2 lead over the Celtics, its likely that Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have another big night in front of the home crowd.
Bet: Over (O/U) 212.5 Total Points (-110)
While only 204 points were scored in Game 4, expect Game 5 to be a much higher-scoring game. In addition to the Warriors shooting much better from the field, the team seems to have found some efficiency against the bigger Celtics down low. These two factors could push the Warriors to score 120+ points in Game 5. In turn, Jayson Tatum who scored 23 points (8-23 FG) will bounce back to have a 30+ point game. Both he and Steph are scoring big these NBA Finals.
While the defense was the main story of Games 3 and 4 at the TD Garden, scoring buckets will be the principal feature of Game 5 at the Chase Center. With him and Stephen Curry averaging more than 34 PPG through these finals, you can count on Game 5 in Golden State to be a high-scoring game.
NBA Player Props
Game: Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors - 4 (-110)
Prop: Jayson Tatum, Over 26.5 Points
Jayson Tatum, like the rest of the Celtics, started hot but finished ice cold. If it wasn’t for the fourth quarter where Tatum shot the ball multiple times unsuccessfully. This negatively impacted his shooting numbers from Game 4 where he finished the night with 23 points (8-23 FG) converting only 34.9% of his shots taken. After a disappointing Friday night, Tatum will shoot more efficiently in Game 5. Since he still scored 23 points on an off-night, you can count on Tatum to score 30+ points in Game 5 even if the Warriors defeat the Celtics.
Prop: Andrew Wiggins, Over 6.5 Rebounds
One of the major adjustments made by the Warriors in Game 4 was boosting their presence off the glass. Andrew Wiggins recorded 16 of Golden State’s 55 rebounds Friday night.
Through the first four games of the NBA Finals, Wiggins has recorded a total of 34 rebounds. That means Wiggins is averaging 8.5 rebounds per game in the 2022 NBA Finals. Especially because the Warriors know how effective he was producing much-needed rebounds in Game 4, Wiggins will look to have a similar presence down-low in Game 5.
Boston Celtics, NBA Finals Game 3
In Game 3, both teams shot almost equally well from the field and from downtown. However, Boston took more shots from the field and dominated off the glass to take Game 3 116-100. Boston’s defensive energy was on full display Wednesday night as they outrebounded and drew countless fouls from the Warriors. Boston’s defense was the story of Game 3. Will Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry overwhelm the Celtics in Game 4?
Let’s take a look at some of tonight’s best bets for Game 4 of the 2022 NBA Finals.
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Best Bets of the Night
Game: Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics Game 4 (BOS Leads 2-1)
In Game 3, both teams shot virtually as efficiently from the field. The Celtics converted 48.3% of their shots (43-89 FG) from the field and went 37.1% from downtown. Golden State finished the night with a 46.2 FG% (36-78 FG) as a team, converting 37.5% from beyond the arc. The main reason for the Celtics’ victory was fantastic defense. For instance, Robert Williams III who isn’t 100% healthy, played 26 minutes to produce 10 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks. The Celtics dominated the Warriors off the glass to record 47 rebounds as a team with 15 of them recorded on the offensive end. In contrast, the Warriors totaled 31 rebounds on the game and only had six offensive rebounds. In addition, the Warriors committed 23 personal fouls allowing the Celtics to go to the line 24 times (Celtics were 17-24 FT) and had 16 turnovers as a team. For the Warriors to bounce back in Game 4, they will need to be more aggressive down low and less sloppy on the floor.
Bet #1: Golden State Warriors, +4 (-110)
The Warriors shot the ball well in Game 3, but were simply overwhelmed by the Celtics defense and the energy at the TD Garden Wednesday night. Golden State recorded 39 combined turnovers (16) and personal fouls (23) which demonstrates how sloppy they were with the basketball. This gave Boston a possession advantage throughout the game, ultimately allowing the Celtics to take 11 more field goal attempts and finish the night with seven more made FGs than the Warriors. Offensive efficiency is not the issue for the Warriors. Rather, they will need to ramp it up on defense in Game 4 to make the game interesting. Draymond Green fouled out of the contest after being shut down all night. Green was held to just two points, four rebounds, three assists, and two turnovers in 35 minutes on the floor before getting a sixth personal foul in Game 3.
Bet #2: Over (O/U) 215 Total Points (-110)
Though the Warriors were held to 100 points of offense on Wednesday night, they shot the ball well. Golden State was limited as a team for FGAs as a result of Boston’s defense. In Game 4, Golden State will have an answer to put up more points on the board than they did in Game 3. In turn, the Celtics will keep things interesting. Expect this Game 4 to be a high-scoring contest. Both teams have been scoring big throughout these playoffs, and that doesn't seem to be changing right now during the Finals.
NBA Player Props
Game: Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics Game 4 (BOS Leads 2-1)
Prop #1: Klay Thompson, Over 19.5 Points
Klay Thompson started the night shooting very well but cooled down towards the end. He went five for a whopping 13 attempts from downtown Wednesday night. He finished the night 7-of-17 from the field for 25 points. This comes after a terrible Game 2 performance where Klay went 4-of-19 from the field and only one-of-eight from beyond-the-arc. Tonight, Klay will shoot better tonight after an average Game 3 performance and bad Games 1 and 2.
Prop #2: Jaylen Brown, Over 2.5 Threes
Jaylen Brown has been knocking his shots from downtown as of late. In the last two games, he’s recorded at least three threes. He’s gone 7-of-17 (41.1%) from downtown through Games 2 and 3 combined. In the second of two home games at the TD Garden, it’s likely that Brown knocks down at least three buckets from beyond-the-arc tonight in Game 4.
The Nets big 3 are set for a finals run.
The play-ins have been a short, but wild rollercoaster and the playoffs are getting ready to set off.
The seeds are finally set, and the first-round matchups are 76ers(1) vs Wizards(8), Nets(2) vs Celtics(7), Bucks(3) vs Heat(6), and Knicks(4) vs Hawks(5).
Today’s #NBAPlayoffs schedule 📺 ▪️ MIA/MIL: 2020 Eastern Conference Semifinals rematch ▪️ DAL/LAC: 2nd consecutiv… https://t.co/VBl9jKJOJF— NBA (@NBA) 1621693800.0
76ers vs Wizards:
The Russell Westbrook-Joel Embiid rivalry will continue during this year's playoffs and fans cannot wait. The Wizards finished the season with a 16-6 record, and after a lackluster start this season, they have made themselves a dangerous 8th seed. While the 76ers didn't finish the season hot, I'm sure with a team-full of veterans, rest was more of a priority. The 76ers beat the Wizards three times during the season, but two of those games were very close and came early in the season.
The Wizards can definitely make this series a challenging one for the 76ers. The Wizards have shooters all around with Bradley Beal, Davis Bertans. But the 76ers have a much deeper team with guys like Danny Green, Seth Curry, and Dwight Howard providing good veteran leadership. The Wizards are riding on the health of Bradley Beal, who has dealt with hamstring tightness in the past two weeks.
Nets vs Celtics:
The Nets finally seem to be healthy just in time for the playoffs, which is dangerous for Boston. Although the Nets big three only played eight games together, the Nets still finished with a 48-24. The Nets also have a great mix of reliable veterans like Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Jeff Green, and Joe Harris. These two teams meet three times during the regular season with Brooklyn taking all three games.
The Celtics have not lived up to expectations this year. After making a conference finals last year, it was expected to carry through the regular season, but they never found their stride. Jaylen Brown will continue to be sidelined with a broken wrist, so most of the load will be carried by Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker. I see this series being an easy one for the Nets.
Jaw-dropping handles, unlimited scoring ability and incredible playmaking… Kyrie Irving. #ThatsGame Kyrie and th… https://t.co/Oxb2hKv6OL— NBA (@NBA) 1621697400.0
Bucks vs Heat:
A rematch of the heated second-round matchup last year, where the Heat upset Milwaukee, who had Giannis dealing with injuries. Interestingly enough, both of these come to the playoffs on the right side with an 8-2 record in their last 10 regular-season games. Giannis is back with more weapons on his sides like Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker, and Jeff Teague, while also keeping their core from last year. Giannis had had another MVP-type season averaging 28 points and 11 rebounds.
The Miami Heat started the season off slow, probably because of the NBA finals hangover, but got hot after the all-star break. Miami also acquired many new weapons like Trevor Ariza and Dewayne Dedmon. The Jimmy Butler-Giannis Antetokounmpo matchup will be the most important aspect of this series.
Knicks vs Hawks
After what seems like a lifetime drought, the Knicks are finally back in the playoffs! We can all agree that when the Knicks are good, the league is in better spirits. Tom Thibodeau has turned this team around, and you can't forget about how Julius Randle has been playing this season. Possibly the most improved player, Julius Randle has proved all his doubters wrong and has taken the keys to this Knicks franchise. The Knicks have great veteran leadership with guys like Derrick Rose, and Taj Gibson who are familiar with Thibodeau. They also have great young talent with guys like RJ Barret, and Obi Toppin.
The Hawks on the other hand have turned it around since firing Lloyd Pierce and having Nate McMillan made this team do a complete 180. Trae Young and John Collins are one of the best duos in the league. With guys like Lou Williams, Danilo Gallinari, and Bogdan Bogdanovic who can get hot at any point of the game. This series can definitely go to 7 games, with last-second shots determining the outcome.
Although struggling in the 2020 NBA playoffs as of late, Kemba Walker can potentially be the ultimate weapon to propel the Boston Celtics to their first NBA Finals appearance in a decade.
The young duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have elevated their level of play this season, and Marcus Smart continues his run as an elite defensive player, which adds up to the Celtics making a deep playoff run. But people are forgetting that Walker is known as "Cardiac Kemba" for a reason.
The former UCONN guard has the extraordinary ability to take over games with his offensive prowess and come up huge down the stretch. Even though his three point field goal percentage has dropped by twelve percent (26.5%) in the postseason compared to the regular season (38.1%), he's looking to find his stride during the Eastern Conference Finals.
regroup & refocus #BleedGreen https://t.co/IF3Dm6xi3c— Boston Celtics (@Boston Celtics) 1600291072.0
His last three games have shown anything but his usual self, though. Walker shot as low as 18% in Game 6 against the Toronto Raptors and only shot 31% against a stifling Miami Heat defense in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, only putting up 12.7 points in that span, compared to his 19.6 points a game average in this postseason.
But Kemba is aware of his current struggles; in his post game press conference following Game 1, Walker showed humility and leadership in his comments: "I'm just playing terrible, to be honest. There's not much I could say but I've just got to be better. I have to do more for this team, on both ends of the floor. Gotta make better decisions. Just gotta make shots overall."
Kemba Walker Postgame Interview - Game 1 | Heat vs Celtics | September 15, 2020 NBA Playoffswww.youtube.com
But all it takes is one performance to rejuvenate Walker and give him the confidence to start playing at the elite level he's capable of–the one that's made him a four-time all star–and he could become the final piece of the puzzle his team desperately needs in order to pull through.
Walker is one of the only seven active players in the league to score 60 points in a game. That list includes some very notable company—featuring players like Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, Carmelo Anthony, James Harden, Klay Thompson, and LeBron James.
So his opponents should know the type of productivity to expect from him, but in order to prove it, Walker needs to play his game best.
In a league where the mid-range jumper is seemingly a dead tactic, that's where he thrives the most.
Fans witnessed it in the Big East Tournament back in 2010, where he won the game for UCONN at the buzzer, hitting a critical crossover-to-step back jump shot–a move that is the essence of his success and has become his flat out signature play.
Kemba Walker Step Back Game Winner in MSG 2010 NCAA Tournmentwww.youtube.com
This was the same tournament run that solidified his name in the NBA draft the following year as the ninth overall pick. Jay Bilas said during his draft analysis, "We saw him time and time during the season, the clutch performer that he was. When the game's on the line...young man can play."
This was also evident in Game 1 against Miami. He was only 1-9 from beyond the arc, as perimeter defenders like Jae Crowder suffocated any looks he had, forcing him into poor long range attempts.
But, when it mattered most, Walker utilized his most effective trick, which has cemented his success as a clutch player in the past.
With only 23 seconds left in overtime, Walker took on a 6'6 Tyler Herro in isolation–that's a player with a significant height advantage over the 6'0 play maker. In this possession, instead of wasting time on the clock and pulling up for a low percentage three, he noticed that negative trend and broke it. He pulled up to the left elbow and created significant space with a step-back that resulted in a go ahead bucket that could have potentially been the game winner.
In fact, half of his made field goals in that game came from a step-back two pointer. It's almost as if Kemba wants to have to fight and compete for every shot, rather than pulling up for a wide open three.
“We believe if we clean a couple things up, we'll fix those things and it’ll be a different outcome.” https://t.co/8z6TzjMuPA— Boston Celtics (@Boston Celtics) 1600232639.0
Although his team did end up losing due to some Jimmy Butler heroics, Walker was able to produce effectively in the biggest moment of the game. He not only used his patented move, but he used his court awareness and vision to read the play and know that it was the best option in a pivotal possession.
As his field goal beyond the arc is not where he wants it to be in these playoffs, it presents an opportunity to utilize his biggest strength instead and go for more of those 15-18 footers that have worked so well for him before.
But it's not like he hasn't had good stretches.
Walker has scored 20+ points on five occasions, including a 32 point performance against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.
As worried as coaches can get after one of their best players gets cold all of a sudden, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens knows he's got a true professional in Walker, who can figure it out and bounce back. Stevens stated in a practice interview the day after a loss: "As far as Kemba goes, you know, I don't lose any sleep over Kemba. Nobody cares more than Kemba. Nobody wants to play better [than Kemba]."
He followed that by elaborating how the coaching staff is constantly working with the nine-year veteran to assure he can play to his strengths and make his life easier. As much as Walker can do for his part, both sides need to be on the same page in order for him to be in the best position to play "Cardiac Kemba" basketball.
HEAT. CELTICS. GAME 2. Eastern Conference Finals continues tonight after an epic Game 1 tonight at 7:00 PM ET on… https://t.co/KlxuLIehpV— NBA (@NBA) 1600372801.0
As adjustments are being made, clearly no one expected this series to be easy. The Celtics as a whole have a few discrepancies they need to figure out in order to come out on top.
Even though players like Smart, Tatum, even Jaylen Brown (most of the time) are playing to the best of their ability, opponents can't forget about Walker so easily. Actually, they shouldn't at all. Because all it takes is that one performance to ignite a devastating threat to Miami's championship aspirations–one fatal mistake that Walker can capitalize on and drive his team to their first finals appearance in 10 years.
