Warriors lose to Celtics in overtime, winning the NBA Finals rematch at 121-118

BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 34 points with a career-high 19 rebounds, following Al Horford’s overtime 3-pointer with one of his own on Thursday night to help the Celtics pull away from Golden State in an NBA Finals rematch and beat the Warriors 121-118.

Jaylen brown added 16 points, nine rebounds and made a 3 pointer with 18 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. Horford finished with 20 points, 10 boards, and three blocked shots. The Celtics lost to the Warriors in six games in the NBA Finals.

Stephen Curry had 29 points, Jordan Poole had 24, Klay Thompson had 24, and Klay Thompson had 24. Klay Thompson fouled out in overtime for the defending champions who were 5-18 on the road.

The Celtics led by as high as 10 at halftime, but were trailing for most of the second half. Brown hit a 3-pointer to tie the score at 106. Boston scored the first four overtime points, but Draymond Green made a pair free throws and Curry hit a 3-pointer for the Warriors to take the lead.

Brown scored a floater to make the score 112-111 Boston. Then Horford made a 3-pointer, and Tatum added his to give Celtics a lead of 118-112 with 1:26 left. Boston went sloppy down the stretch in an attempt to give Golden State the chance at the buzzer. Poole’s halfcourt shot was not close.

The Warriors won Game 6 in Boston and then won the first regular season rematch on Dec. 10, in San Francisco. Despite having the best record in the NBA, the Celtics still have to be disappointed by their losses to Golden State.

LONG SHOTS

Curry won the hearts of the Celtics fans at the half-way point with his performance. a buzzer-beater that was officially listed as 50 feet.

With time running out, the Warriors were able to get the ball but Thompson was unable to take it. Malcolm Brogdon then took it from Thompson, and gave it back to Tatum. Curry took the ball from Thompson and made a 3-pointer from far away.

It bounced through the net, giving Warriors a lead of 55 to 54.

REGULATION

Boston scored 12 out of the 14 first quarter points for a one-point lead. But the Warriors quickly recovered the lead and increased it to 11, 85-74 with less than two minutes remaining.

The Celtics tied the game on Brown’s 3 and the Warriors decided not to call timeout. Curry then dribbled the clock out before attempting a 3-point shot that sailed off the front of a rim. (The Celtics managed to get a timeout with 0.5 seconds left, but couldn’t get off a shot.)

COMEBACKS

After missing three games due to a groin injury, Brown was back in Boston. Robert Williams III, the Celtics center, missed the Dec. 10, game between the teams. He was recovering from left-leg surgery.

Both teams were fairly healthy with Curry returning to the field on Jan. 10, after an 11-game absence (partially Dislocated Left Shoulder), and Wiggins returning earlier in January after missing 15 games due to a strain muscle in his right leg; not COVID illness).

TIP-INS

Horford finished the quarter with 10 points, five boards, and a chase down block. … Thompson picked up his fifth foul and went to the bench with eight minutes left in the fourth. … Wiggins scored 20. Green scored 11 points, had 13 rebounds and nine assists. Williams scored 14 points and had 11 boards. Smart Scored 18.

UP NEXT

Warriors: Cleveland Visits Warriors on Friday

Celtics: Toronto Visits on Saturday

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