BSJ NBA Finals Game 4 Report: Warriors 107, Celtics 97 - Curry shines, Tatum struggles, as Warriors even series

Everything you need to know about the Boston Celtics loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, with BSJ insight and analysis. 

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics and Warriors traded runs early on, with the Celtics coming out strong behind an 11-4 run, then surrending a 16-7 run to the Warriors, and then taking the lead back on a 10-4 closing run. The run-trading continued in the second, when Jayson Tatum's barrage of missed layups and turnovers cleared the path for the Warriors to get out in transition. But Jaylen Brown got going to tie the game and ultimately take a 5-point lead into halftime. Both teams went back and forth in the third before the eventual Steph Curry barrage tied the game wiith about three minutes to go in the quarter. Golden State won the third 30-24, a lot less than usual, and it was a 1-point game heading into the fourth. Brown got hot early in the quarter to help reestablish a lead. Offensive rebounds kept the Warriors close and a Klay Thompson 3-pointer gave Golden State the lead with just over 4:00 to go and the Warriors never looked back.

Box Score 

HEADLINES

A break in the trend: The Warriors didn't exactly blow it open in the third like they normally have, instead stealing Boston's thunder by winning the fourth quarter 28-19. We've been waiting for one of these teams to buck that trend, now let's see if the Warriors make this a habit, or if Boston can flip the script in Game 5.

It's never easy: Of course, the Celtics missed a chance to take full control of this series. I don't know what it is about this group that makes them choose every hard path in the playoffs, but they're really making everything a grind. From the slow, late-game offense to the breakdowns that give up offensive rebounds, the Celtics just can't seem to string a bunch of good basketball together. 

"It's kind of been us this whole playoff run," Al Horford said, laughing a bit at the absurdity of this still being the case. "It's one of those things that it's like we feel like we kind of got it put together, now our backs are against the wall.

"This team, we've shown all year when our backs are against the wall, we have to come out and respond. Obviously it's a big challenge ahead, but it's something that we have to -- I've said it before, I sound repetitive, but we're going to have to look at this film, we're going to have to figure out how we can be better and come out and be better."

Steph Curry takeover: This was a very Curry game, and it involved a lot more than the pick-and-roll, stepping into 3-pointer offense than we've seen. He was all over the place, moving, relocating, driving, and just hititng from everywhere. 

That's basically a birdshot pattern. It's pretty amazing. 

Andrew Wiggins steps up: A career-high 16 rebounds, including 3 offensive fouls that contributed to 19 second chance points. The Celtics have dared Wiggins to shoot and in this one he did just enough to be a game-changing contributor. 

TURNING POINT

The Warriors put together a 7-0 run to take a 3-point lead with 3:41 to go. After nearly two minutes of scoreless basketball, Steph Curry hit another 3, making it a 10-0 run, to give the Warriors a 6-point lead. Boston missed four 3-point attempts when they were down 3. 

TWO UP 

Jaylen Brown: He got some MVP chants at the free-throw line late in the game, and it was behind his early fourth-quarter run that Boston took a lead. I think it wears on him when the team gets away from him late in games (more on that in a minute). 

Robert Williams: His effectiveness seemed to wane a little down the stretch, but the Celtics were signfiicantly better, especially early, with him on the floor. It seemed like he was a little hobbled late in the game, so that's something to keep an eye on.

FOUR DOWN 

Jayson Tatum: He was 4-8 from deep, oddly good for an 8-23 night, but that shows how bad he was (4-15) from 2. He's having trouble finishing at the rim again, and that's a big problem for the Celtics. 

"At times he's looking for fouls," Ime Udoka said. "Shooting over two, three guys. That's the balance of being aggressive and picking your spots and doing what he's done in previous games, which is kicked it out and got wide-open looks."

Be quicker, be decisive, and be a star. Also, stop turning the ball over. Six is ridiculous. And they can't all be because he got fouled. 

Al Horford: This is becoming a tough series for Horford. He's being asked to do a lot against Curry and I think it's taking its toll. He's not shooting great, though he did have a clutch 3-pointer late. 

Marcus Smart: 18 points, 5 assists, 4 steals, 2 turnovers is a solid stat line for Smart but it didn't feel like he had a good game at all. I'm surprised he's only down for the 2 turnovers because it felt a lot worse. A few shots at the end should have been drives.

Derrick White: The dad strength seems to have run out. How fast can he have another kid? Can that happen before Game 5? I'm sorry I don't have children. 

He was 1-7 inside the arc, and though he hit a few 3-pointers, I never felt like he was giving Boston anywhere near the advantage he had given them earlier in the series or late in the Heat series. 

TOP PLAYS

ONE TAKE KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- If you're going to go with hero ball, at least pick the right one

I'm going to save a lot of the ball movement stuff for later. The offense stagnated too much. Everyone agrees on that. 

Boston's worst habit is probably getting away from the thing that obviously works. That's going to be my feature story. But how about we at least get this compromise: if you're going to stagnate and go with iso basketball, why not at least run things through one of your pillars who is actually having a good game? 

Brown didn't get a shot over the last 4:12 of the game. Tatum, Horford, and Smart (twice) all missed shots but Brown didn't get one. 

This is where I have a problem.

Brown did what he was supposed to do with 2:45 left. He drove, they collapsed, he kicked, and Smart took a corner 3-pointer. 

That's fine. I'm good with that shot. Then when the table were turned, Smart missed a chance to return the favor. 

Tatum drove and kicked. Smart should have done the same. Drive left past Draymond Green, attack the paint, and if Klay Thompson helped off Brown, it should have gone to him in the corner. 

Instead, Smart took a bad 3-pointer. It was contested enough, with :08 on the clock, that a drive past an off-balance Green would have not only been the right play, it would have been an easy play to make. 

The recognition and awareness has to be there in this situation. Smart missed a chance to make a great play for himself by getting to the rim, or for his teammate when they helped. 

I get that sometimes late in games teams want to slow it down, get it to their best players, and let them take it all home, but the Celtics have two players worthy of that. Tatum didn't have it in this game, but Brown did. Getting away from the guy who was having a good game shouldn't happen in this situation.