2008 NBA CHAMP BOSTON CELTICS v. 2018 NBA CHAMP GST WARRIORS
Celtics: 66-16, 1st Atl Div, 10th Off/1st Def
d. Hawks East 1st Rnd 4-3
d. Cavs East Semis 4-3
d. Pistons East Finals 4-2
d. Lakers NBA Finals 4-2
#16 overall seed
d. '11 Magic (2-1 Allen/KG)
d. '10 Lakers (2-0 KG)
d. '19 Blazers (2-0 KG)
Regional Final: d. '06 Mavs (2-0 Allen (1st team 2)/KG (MVP6)
Sweet 16: d. '80 Lakers (3-1, KG 3 PotG, Series MVP)
Elite 8: d. '15 Spurs (3-2, Powe/KG 2 Series MVP)
Coach: Doc Rivers, Asst Tom Thibodeau, Clifford Ray GM Danny Ainge
Starters
C Leon Powe 24-Cal 7.9 20.9 4.3 .5
F Kevin Garnett 31 18.8 25.3 12.9 6 VORP
F Paul Pierce 30-Kansas 19.6 19.6 12.4 5
G Rajon Rondo 21-Kentucky 10.6 15.6 7.2 2.4
G Ray Allen 32-UConn 17.4 16.4 9.7 3.3
Rotation Reserves
C Kendrick Perkins 23 6.9 PPG 13.3 PER 6.2 WS 1.2
F Glen Davis 22-LSU 4.5 11.3 2.5 -.2
F James Posey 31-X 7.4 12 6.2 2.1
G Eddie House 29-Ariz St 7.5 13 3.9 1.4
G Tony Allen 26-Oklahoma St 6.6 10.7 2.7 .1
Leaders: RAllen 4th FT%
Garnett 4th PER, 2nd Def WS, 2nd WS/48, 4th +/-, 1st Def Rtng, 1st Team All NBA
Pierce 5th Def WS, 3rd Team All NBA
Perkins 4th Def Rtng
Posey 5th Def Rtng
Top defensive team in the league in '08. 31 year old KG is over 20 PER with double digit WS. 30 year old Paul Pierce has double digit WS and 24 year old Leon Powe has 20 PER. KG was Defensive Player of the Year, Danny Ainge Executive of the Year. Pierce was Finals MVP. Garnett, Pierce and 32 year old Ray Allen were all All Stars. Garnett was Region 16 MVP, he and Allen both made All Region Team. Garnett reaches the Elite 8 with 11 PotG, tied with 2020 Giannis.
Warriors: 58-24, 1st Pac Div, 3rd Off, 11th Def
d. Spurs West 1st Rnd 4-1
d. Pelicans West Semis 4-1
d. Rockets West Finals 4-3
d. Cavs NBA Finals 4-0
#37 overal seed
d. '87 Pistons (2-0, Curry/Durant PotG)
d. '96 Magic (2-1 Steph 1 PotG)
d. '07 Spurs (2-1 Steph/KD)
Regional Final: d. '12 Bulls (2-0 KD)
Sweet Sixteen: d. '15 Rockets (3-1, Steph 2/KD 1)
Elite 8: d. '20 Lakers (3-0 Durant-Series MVP
Coach: Steve Kerr
Starters
C JaVale McGee (30 Nevada) 4.8 PPG 22.3 PER 2.7 Win Shares .5
F Draymond Green (27 Michigan St) 11 16.1 6 2.8
F Kevin Durant (29 Texas) 26.4 26 10.4 5.5 VORP
G Steph Curry (29 Davidson) 26.4 28.2 9.1 4
G Klay Thompson (27 Washington St) 20 16 4 1
Rotation Reserves
C Zaza Pachulia (33) 5.4 17 3.3 .5
F David West (37 Xavier) 6.8 20.9 3.5 1.3
F Jordan Bell (23 Oregon) 4.6 18 2.9 1
G Shawn Livingston (32) 5.5 11.6 1.8 -.3
G Andre Iguodala (34 Arizona) 6 11.2 3.2 .7
Leaders: Curry: 1st FT%, 4th PER, 1st True Shooting, 5th Eff FG%, 2nd WS/48, 3rd +/- 3rd team All NBA
Durant 5th Blocks/Gm, 1st Team All NBA
KD and Steph are both 29, both 20+ PER (along with McGee and West) Durant's got double digit WS. These are the back to back GSW Champs, the last title in tha run (as of early 2022); top 3 offense in 2018. Four All Stars - KD/Steph, 27 year old Draymond and Klay. The Warriors broke the record for largest NBA Finals point differential. Durant was the MVP of the NBA Finals. Draymond was 2nd Team All Defense. The Warriors swept the 2020 Lakers in the Elite 8.
If you said Celtics/Warriors would be a Final Four matchup prior to the tournament, that would not have surprised. Probably, the 2017 Warriors and the '86 Celtics would have been the forecast, but this is not that far away (the other semi-final, on the other hand...)
7 Game Series. Winner to the Tournament Finals.
Matchup:
C Powe (Celtics)
F Garnett (Celtics)
F Durant (Warriors)
G Curry (Warriors)
G Allen (Celtics)
Bench: Celtics
Gm 1:Boston: TD Garden: Marv Albert/Hubie Brown/Mike Fratello
1Qtr
9 Warriors 14 Celtics 8
Celtics Powe, RAllen, Rondo, Powe
Warriors DRay(3) Klay(3) KD, KD, McGee, Dray
6 Warriors 27 Celtics 15
Celtics Pierce(3) Pierce, KG
Warriors Klay, KD, McGee(3) Steph(1) McGee, Steph(3)
The Final Four - first seven game series.
3 Warriors 35 Celtics 19
Celtics Perk, KG
Warriors Dray, McGee, Steph, West
1Score Warriors 43 Celtics 19
Celtics
Warriors Iguodala(3) Steph, Steph(3)
Uh-oh. The Warriors come into Boston and end game one early - I think the highest scoring 1st qtr of the tournament. Steph has 11.
2Qtr
9 Warriors 51 Celtics 19
Celtics
Warriors KD, West, West, Iguodala
6 Warriors 58 Celtics 25
Celtics TAllen, Rondo(1) KG(3)
Warriors Steph, KD, Zaza(3)
10 for Durant. Only thing remaining is the final score.
3 Warriors 68 Celtics 31
Celtics Pierce, Powe, KG
Warriors Klay(3) West(3) Steph, Dray
HScore Warriors 73 Celtics 37
Celtics Davis, Rondo, Powe
Warriors Steph(3) Steph
20 first half points for Steph Curry.
3Qtr
9 Warriors 84 Celtics 48
Celtics KG, RAllen(3) Davis(1) KG, Pierce(3)
Warriors KD, Dray, McGee, Klay, Klay(3)
6 Warriors 89 Celtics 50
Celtics Rondo
Warriors McGee, Steph(3)
Klay has 13. Durant 12. Steph 23.
3 Warriors 97 Celtics 53
Celtics KG, Powe(1)
Warriors West, McGee, Steph, Zaza
3Score Warriors 102 Celtics 61
Celtics Pierce, Pierce, RAllen, Rondo
Warriors Livingston, West(1) Steph
Steph with 27 - what's Boston going to do in game 2 to turn this around?
4Qtr
9 Warriors 108 Celtics 63
Celtics Powe
Warriors Klay, Steph, Zaza
6 Warriors 120 Celtics 72
Celtics KG, Powe, RAllen, Pierce(3)
Warriors Livingston, Klay, McGee, Steph, West, Iguodala
3 Warriors 126 Celtics 74
Celtics KG
Warriors McGee, Steph, Zaza
FScore Warriors 131 Celtics 79
Celtics Posey, Scalabrine(3)
Warriors Cook(3) Casspi
A 50 point spread in game 1 of the Final 4. That's what's up.
Steph: 33 pts/6 assists-Player of the Game
KD: 12 pts/10 boards/8 assists
Dray: 11 pts/8 assists/6 boards
Klay: 17 pts/6 boards
McGee: 19 pts/6 boards
West: 14 pts/8 boards
KG: 19 pts/13 boards
Pierce: 17 pts/5 boards
Powe: 13 pts
Gm 2: Boston: TD Garden: Marv Albert/Hubie Brown/Mike Fratello
1Qtr
9 Warriors 8 Celtics 7
Celtics KG, Pierce, Powe(3)
Warriors Klay(3) KD, Klay(3)
6 Warriors 14 Celtics 11
Celtics Powe, KG
Warriors Dray, KD, steph
Celtics need this one - can't really head to Oakland down 2-0.
3 Warriors 21 Celtics 19
Celtics Powe, KG, Powe, KG
Warriors Steph(3) Klay, KD
1Score Celtics 25 Warriors 24
Celtics Posey, Perk(1) Posey(3)
Warriors KD(1) McGee
Boston's first lead of the series comes as Posey beats the buzzer with a triple.
2Qtr
9 Celtics 30 Warriors 30
Celtics Davis, TAllen(3)
Warriors Iguodala, McGee(1) Steph(3)
6 Celtics 38 Warriors 37
Celtics Posey(3) Powe, Pierce(3)
Warriors KD, Steph(3) Steph
8 for Steph in the first 6 of the qtr.
3 Warriors 49 Celtics 40
Celtics KG
Warriors West, West, Steph, Dray(3) West(3)
HScore Warrior 54 Celtics 50
Celtics RAllen(3) RAllen(3) Davis, Powe
Warriors Curry(3) Curry
13 in the qtr for Curry - Boston is in this one.
3Qtr
9 Warriors 62 Celtics 59
Celtics Pierce(3) KG, KG, KG
Warriors West, Steph(3) Klay(3)
6 Warriors 68 Celtics 64
Celtics Powe, House(3)
Warriors Dray, McGee, Livingston
Boston desperate, they must win this game.
3 Celtics 74 Warriors 73
Celtics RAllen, Pierce, Powe, RAllen, Powe
Warriors McGee, Dray(3)
3Score Celtics 78 Warriors 75
Celtics Perk, Rondo
Warriors McGee
The Celtics hold Golden St to 7 points in the last 6 minutes - they lost game one by 50+ but are up 3 heading to the 4th.
4Qtr
9 Celtics 86 Warriors 82
Celtics Davis, KG, RAllen, KG
Warriors KD, Iguodala(3) Dray
6 Celtics 94 Warriors 88
Celtics KG, Pierce(3) Pierce(3)
Warriors KD, Dray, KD
Paul Pierce hits back to back 3s in the last 30 seconds and Boston's up 6
3 Warriors 97 Celtics 96
Celtics Davis
Warriors Klay(3) West, Zaza, KD
2:45: BOS: Garnett stops the Warriors run with a 12 footer.
2:31: GSW: Steph with the floater in the lane.
2:04: GSW: KD from the top of the key. 101-98
1:53: BOS: Powe 5 footer.
:45: BOS: Paul Pierce strokes an 18 footer and Boston takes the lead.
Golden St ball - it goes down to 1 second left on the clock when Steph hits a corner 2, foot on the 3 point line to give the Dubs the lead.
Boston ball - down 1 - it's Pierce - in traffic - right side -
Missed.
Curry goes to the line with 5 seconds left. Hits both. 105-102.
Celtics timeout. Down 3.
It goes to Pierce - Pierce in traffic on the wing - Pierce with the game tying attempt at the buzzer ---
GOOOOOOOOOOD!!! GOOOOOD!!! PAUL PIERCE WITH THE CONTESTED 3 AT THE BUZZER AND WE ARE GOING TO OVERTIME!!!!!!
OT
4:03: GSW: Durant strokes a midrange J
3:27: BOS: Garnett dunk
3:20: GSW: JaVale dunk.
3:03: BOS: Pierce from the top of the key. 109-109
2:04: GSW: Steph drives and scores.
1:42: BOS: KG down low.
1:31: GSW: Klay triples from the wing. 114-111
1:19: BOS: Rondo drives and scores
:25: Nearly a minute later -- it's Curry; slicing through the lane for a scoop up and in and once again - the Warriors have a 3 point lead.
No timeout - Boston fast upcourt - Pierce with the triple....GOOOOD! GOOOD! Paul Pierce ties the game again! 17 seconds left and we are tied at 116.
Timeout. Warriors at midcourt. 17 seconds left in the tie game.
It's Durant. Durant isolation. Durant isolation. Durant 6 seconds left ---
GOOOOD! GOOOOD! GOOOD! Kevin Durant gives the Warriors the lead again! Celtics timeout with 6 seconds left - Durant hits the long 2 -- it's 118-116.
Celtics for the last shot after the timeout - inbounds -- STEAL! CURRY STEALS THE INBOUNDS! Steph is fouled - hits both and that's the final.
FScore: Warriors 120 Celtics 116
Wild game - Pierce ties at the buzzer in regulation - ties again with 17 seconds left in OT, but it's the Dubs - undeniable - and they head to Oakland for games 3 and 4 having swept 1 and 2 on the road.
Curry: 35 pts/6 boards/5 assists-Player of the Game
Durant: 23 pts/12 boards/8 assists/4 blocks
Draymond: 14 pts/14 boards
Klay: 17 pts
McGee: 11 pts/8 boards
West: 11 pts/6 boards
KG: 28 pts/15 boards
Pierce: 26 pts/9 assists
RAllen: 12 pts/5boards
Powe: 21 pts/8 boards
Gm 3: Oakland: Oracle: Marty Glickman/Clyde Frazier/Bill Raftery
1Qtr
9 Warriors 9 Celtics 0
Warriors Klay(3) McGee, KD, KD
Celtics
6 Warriors 11 Celtics 8
Warriors McGee
Celtics KG, Powe, RAllen,Powe
Game 3 in Oracle - Warriors took the first two on the road here in the first semi-final matchup; they swept their Elite 8 as well.
3 Warriors 17 Celtics 17
Warriors Dray, McGee, Zaza
Celtics KG, RAllen(3) Powe, Rondo
1Score Warriors 25 Celtics 24
Warriors West, Klay(3) iguodala(3)
Celtics Pierce(3) KG, Powe
Steph's been PotG in 1-2, has yet to score here at home in game 3
2Qtr
9 Warriors 33 Celtics 24
Warriors Iguodala, Iguodala(3) Steph(3)
Celtics
6 Warriors 41 Celtics 32
Warriors Steph(3) Steph(3) McGee
Celtics Rondo(1) KG(3) KG, Pierce
4 triples by the Warriors and they are up 9.
3 Warriors 48 Celtics 36
Warriors Klay(3) Dray, Iguodala
Celtics Pierce, Powe
HScore Warriors 59 Celtics 42
Warriors Klay, mcGee, Klay, KD, Klay(3)
Celtics Rondo(1) KG(3) Pierce
Klay with 10 in the last 6 and this one looks done - Warriors may sweep their way into the Tournament Finals.
3Qtr
9 Warriors 59 Celtics 46
Warriors
Celtics Powe, Rondo
6 Warriors 63 Celtics 51
Warriors KD, McGee
Celtics House, Posey
Both sides cranking up the D in the second half.
3 Warriors 69 Celtics 53
Warriors Steph, KD, Zaza
Celtics Pierce
3Score Warriors 75 Celtics 57
Warriors Klay, West, Zaza
Celtics RAllen, Pierce
GSW defense the story here; big Warriors lead.
4Qtr
9 Warriors 87 Celtics 65
Warriors McGee(3) Dray, Steph, Klay, Klay(3)
Celtics Rondo, Powe, KG, KG
6 Warriors 91 Celtics 67
Warriors McGee, Klay
Celtics Powe
3 Warriors 97 Celtics 73
Warriors McGee(3) Curry(3)
Celtics Pierce, Pierce, KG
FScore Warriors 103 Celtics 79
Warriors Casspi, Cook, Casspi
Celtics Powe, Brown, Scalabrine
They beat you with firepower, they beat you with defense - the Warriors blew out the 2020 Lakers in the last round and are doing it here to the '08 Celtics.
McGee: 20 pts/12 boards-Player of the Game
Steph: 16 pts/6 assists
Klay: 25 pts/6 assists
KD: 10 pts/6 boards
Iguodala: 10 pts/5 boards
Pierce: 17 pts/5 boards
KG: 20 pts/10 boards/4 steals
Rondo: 8 pts/10 assists/5 boards
Powe: 18 pts/8 boards
Gm 4: Oakland: Oracle: Marty Glickman/Clyde Frazier/Bill Raftery
1Qtr
9 Celtics 8 Warriors 7
Warriors Steph(3) McGee, Klay
Celtics Rondo, Rondo, RAllen, Powe
6 Celtics 18 Warriors 9
Warriors Klay
Celtics Rondo, Pierce, KG, KG, Powe
Boston's down 3-0, probably too much, but a win today would get them back home for game 5.
3 Warriors 24 Celtics 24
Warriors Steph, Klay(3) Dray(3) Steph(3) Steph, McGee
Celtics KG, KG, RAllen
1Score Celtics 36 Warriors 27
Warriors Steph(3)
Celtics Perk, RAllen(3) House(3) House, Pierce
Boston's best quarter of the series.
2Qtr
9 Celtics 44 Warriors 31
Warriors West, McGee
Celtics Perk, Perk, Perk, Perk
6 Celtics 50 Warriors 32
Warriors Bell(1)
Celtics Pierce, KG, Rondo
Golden St took today off.
3 Celtics 56 Warriors 44
Warriors Klay, Zaza(3) Steph, McGee, KD(3)
Celtics Powe(3) Pierce(3)
HScore Celtics 58 Warriors 50
Warriors KD, Steph, KD
Celtics Powe
7 in the last 6, Dubs closing in.
3Qtr
9 Celtics 65 Warriors 53
Warriors West(1) KD
Celtics KG, Rondo(1) Rondo
6 Celtics 76 Warriors 56
Warriors McGee(3)
Celtics Perk, KG, Pierce(1) KG, RAllen, Powe
Another half dozen for Garnett - no sweep today, back to Boston we go.
3 Celtics 78 Warriors 59
Warriors Klay, McGee(1)
Celtics KG
3Score Celtics 88 Warriors 67
Warriors Steph, KD, Dray, Iguodala
Celtics KG, RAllen(3) Pierce(3) RAllen
4Qtr
9 Celtics 94 Warriors 78
Warriors McGee, McGee, Iguodala, Iguodala(3) KD
Celtics House, KG, RAllen
6 Celtics 100 Warriors 87
Warriors Klay, Zaza, KD, Klay(3)
Celtics Powe, KG, Powe
Warriors have cut a 25 pt deficit to 13, it's probably still too much to overcome.
3 Celtics 111 Warriors 96
Warriors McGee, KD, Dray, Dray(3)
Celtics Rondo, KG, Pierce(3) KG, Pierce
FScore Celtics 115 Warriors 98
Warriors McGee
Celtics Pierce, KG
No sweep today; we will head back to Boston for game 5. KG with his 12th PotG to move into the top spot in the tournament.
KG: 30 pts/8 boards
Pierce: 20 pts/9 boards/6 assists
RAllen: 16 pts/5 boards/5 assists
Rondo: 15 pts/9 assists/6 steals
Powe: 15 pts/13 boards
Perkins: 12 pts/4 blocks
Curry: 19 pts/8 assists/7 boards
KD: 17 pts/9 boards/8 assists
Klay: 16 pts
McGee: 20 pts/11 boards/5 blocks
Dray: 10 pts/8 boards/8 assists
Gm 5: 1:Boston: TD Garden: Marv Albert/Hubie Brown/Mike Fratello
1Qtr
9 Celtics 14 Warriors 8
Celtics Rondo, RAllen(3) Pierce(3) Pierce(3) Powe(3)
Warriors KD, McGee, McGee, Curry
6 Celtics 25 Warriors 16
Celtics Powe, KG, RAllen(3) KG, KG
Warriors Steph(3) KD, West(3)
Boston has found their offense; down 3-0, having lost game 1 by 50, the Celtics solidly win game 4 and come out firing here.
3 Celtics 30 Warriors 21
Celtics Pierce(3) RAllen
Warriors Klay(3) Zaza
1Score Celtics 39 Warriors 28
Celtics RAllen, Pierce(3) Perk, Powe
Warriors Klay, Zaza, iguodala(3)
Double figure Boston lead - 10 first qtr points for Ray Allen.
2Qtr
9 Celtics 41 Warriors 41
Celtics Davis
Warriors Steph(3) West, West, steph(3) Dray(3)
6 Celtics 45 Warriors 45
Celtics Rondo, Rondo
Warriors Livingston, KD
The Warriors can make up ground in a hurry; 3 triples open the qtr and we are tied.
3 Warriors 54 Celtics 45
Celtics
Warriors Steph(3) West, McGee, McGee
HScore Warriors 62 Celtics 49
Celtics TAllen, TAllen
Warriors McGee, Klay(3) Klay(3)
Enormous 24 point swing in the qtr - 6 Warriors threes have maybe brought this series to a close.
3Qtr
9 Warriors 69 Celtics 54
Celtics RAllen, Powe, Pierce
Warriors West, Curry(3) Bell
6 Warriors 76 Celtics 59
Celtics Powe, RAllen(3)
Warriors McGee, Dray, Steph(3)
The celebration is underway back in Oakland - the 2018 Golden St Warriors are 18 minutes from the Tournament Finals.
3 Warriors 83 Celtics 67
Celtics Pierce, KG, Pierce, Rondo
Warriors KD, KD(3) Zaza
3Score Warriors 99 Celtics 79
Celtics Davis, Powe, Powe(3) Pierce(3) RAllen
Warriors Klay, Dray(3) Klay, KD, Klay(3) Dray, KD
So much Warriors firepower - Durant with 11 in the last 6 minutes
4Qtr
9 Warriors 104 Celtics 86
Celtics Pierce(3) KG, KG
Warriors Klay(3) Dray
6 Warriors 108 Celtics 96
Celtics KG(3) KG, Rondo, Perk, Pierce(1)
Warriors McGee(1) KD
3 Warriors 114 Celtics 98
Celtics KG
Warriors Klay, Klay, Klay
FScore: Warriors 120 Celtics 102
Celtics Scalabrine(1) Scalabrine(3)
Warriors Young, Looney, Young
We started with 256 teams spanning 70 years of basketball history - the 2018 Golden St. Warriors have reached the Finals. They'll face either Giannis and the 2020 Bucks - or it will be KD v. KD against the 2011 Thunder.
Steph: 20 pts/11 assists-Player of the Game/Series MVP
Klay: 27 pts
KD: 18 pts/8 boards/6 assists
McGee: 13 pts/9 boards
Dray: 12 pts/5 boards
West: 11 pts/4 blocks
All Tournament Team 1st Team
C Duncan ('13 Spurs 7 PotG)
F Garnett ('08 Celtics 12 PotG)
F Giannis ('20 Bucks 11 PotG)
G Steph ('18 Warriors 8 PotG)
G Harden ('15 Rockets 7 PotG)
All Tournament Team 2nd Team
C Shaq ('98 Lakers 7 PotG)
F Kawhi ('17 Spurs 8 PotG)
F Durant ('18 Warriors 8 PotG)
G Westbrook ('11 Thunder 6 PotG)
G Kobe ('09 Lakers 6 PotG)
G Magic ('89 Lakers 6 PotG)
