Is it time for the Jaylen Brown takeover?
Congratulations, Celtics fans! It was you who got under the skin of the opponent.
Everybody thought it would be Draymond Green who got under the skin of the Celtics players and fans, and he did briefly in Game 2. But ultimately, it was you who broke the spirit of the Warriors in Game 3.
Despite another third-quarter explosion from Golden State, in the end, it was the Warriors who were left with the loss, a banged-up Steph Curry and complaining about the Boston fans being too mean.
These new developments are spearheading my three best bets for Game 4.
Betting lines via DraftKings Sportsbook.
2. Under 214.5 -110
I’ve gone 2-1 betting on totals in this series so far and I’ve bet the under each time. My theory is that for Boston to win the title, it can’t do it playing the Warriors’ up-tempo style. For the most part, the Celtics have won doing just that, but as this series goes on, I think the games will slow down significantly.
It’s also clear now with three games of evidence that Boston is a much bigger, more physical team. Outside of Draymond Green, the Warriors don’t have anybody who can impose that will. Meanwhile, both Al Horford and Robert Williams have been able to do anything they want inside the paint. And increasingly, both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are attacking the rim because of the lack of interior presence from Golden State.
Another thing to watch in this series moving forward is the patience and decision-making of Marcus Smart. He had a monster Game 3 because he controlled the tempo of the game. I will keep hammering the under in these NBA Finals.
3. Jaylen Brown 30-plus points +240
Jaylen Brown continues to be the X-factor in this series. His 24 points in Game 1 sparked a historic comeback for the Celtics, and in Game 3 he was better than ever, scoring 27 points. If this series ended now, Brown would be your NBA Finals MVP. The only thing missing from that narrative is a mind-blowing 30-plus-point outburst game. I’m going to take a shot on that happening in Game 4. If that does indeed happen, Brown all but seals his fate as both the Finals MVP and a world champion.