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The Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics 104-94 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday (June 13). The Warriors are now one win away from winning their fourth championship since 2015. The Celtics, meanwhile, will try to stay alive in the series by winning Game 6 scheduled for Thursday.
Steph Curry had an off night, but Golden State managed to earn the win. This was largely thanks to Andrew Wiggins recording his best Finals performance, while Jayson Tatum broke an unwanted NBA postseason record. Tatum did enjoy some solid output, but it was not enough to get Boston the win.
Here is the latest NBA news roundup for June 14, 2022, brought to you by Sportskeeda.
Steph Curry goes ice-cold from beyond the arc in Game 5 win
Steph Curry struggled in Game 5 of the 2022 Finals, finishing with just 16 points. Curry shot 7-for-22 from the field and was 0-for-9 from beyond the arc. It was Curry's worst game of the series so far and it seemed to be amplified as he entered the game on the back of a 43-point performance in Game 4.
According to Sporting News, Curry made at least one 3-point shot in 233 straight games before Game 5 against the Boston Celtics. The two-time MVP also made at least one 3-pointer in 133 consecutive playoff games.
The last time Curry did not make a shot from beyond the arc was on Nov. 8, 2018, against the Milwaukee Bucks.
In the postgame interview, however, the three-time champ was unfazed by his Game 5 struggles. Curry still made an impact as he dished out eight assists and continued attracting double teams, which freed his teammates. He said:
"I remember the first game of the year, against the Lakers, I had a very similar shooting night, but impacted the game other ways. And I remember I said, 'I played horrible, but I had to redefine what that looked like in terms of make the right play, keep things simple.'"
Jayson Tatum breaks unwanted NBA postseason record
Jayson Tatum had a solid outing in the Celtics' Game 5 loss, finishing with 27 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. However, he also had four turnovers in Monday's game. Tatum now owns the NBA record for the most turnovers in a single postseason with 95, per CBS News.
The Celtics superstar achieved the feat in 23 games, surpassing the record held by LeBron James. "The King" committed 94 turnovers in 22 games during his 2018 Finals run with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Turnovers have been a problem not just for Tatum, but for the whole Celtics team. Boston had 18 turnovers in Game 5, which the Warriors turned into 22 points. Golden State has now scored 103 points off the Celtics' turnovers from games one through five.
If Boston wants to stay alive in the series, they have to cut down their mistakes in Game 6.
Andrew Wiggins leads Warriors in win over Celtics
Andrew Wiggins had his best Finals performance in the Warriors' 104-94 win in Game 5. Wiggins, an All-Star starter this season, finished the game with 26 points, 13 rebounds and two assists. The former first-overall pick missed all of his 3-point attempts, but was aggressive in attacking the basket.
With Steph Curry struggling offensively, Wiggins took over in the fourth quarter and hit multiple timely baskets. He also had the responsibility of guarding the Celtics' best players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and performed admirably against the duo.
Wiggins told reporters (h/t ESPN) after the game what it felt like to have such a big game in the Finals.
"It's something I dreamt about for sure, being in the league, and this is the ultimate stage. It doesn’t get bigger than this."
Taylor Jenkins signs multi-year extension with Grizzlies
Taylor Jenkins did a tremendous job in his third season with the Memphis Grizzlies. Jenkins helped the team finish the season with the second-best record in the NBA at 56-26. Memphis made it to the second round of the playoffs, but were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in six games.
The Grizzlies announced on Monday that Jenkins has signed a multi-year extension. Team EVP of Basketball Operations and General Manager Zachary Z. Kleiman stated that the 37-year-old head coachhas the front office's confidence. Kleiman said (as per NBA.com):
"Taylor has done an outstanding job leading our team and this extension is well-deserved. The year-over-year progress under Taylor speaks for itself, but his growth-oriented, selfless and competitive approach has been a driving force in the establishment of a sustainable culture. We have full confidence that Taylor will steer us to Memphis' first championship."
Jenkins was notably a finalist for the 2022 Coach of the Year Award.
Montrezl Harrell facing felony drug charge
Charlotte Hornets big man Montrezl Harrell is facing a felony drug charge, as per NBA.com. Harrell was pulled over in Richmond, Kentucky, wherein authorities found three pounds of marijuana in the backseat. The soon-to-be free agent was initially flagged down for driving behind a vehicle too closely.
Harrell faces up to five years in prison if gets convicted for trafficking less than five pounds of marijuana. The former Sixth Man of the Year is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on July 13. The Hornets have not released a statement regarding the situation as of yet.
The 28-year-old star was acquired by the Hornets in February from the Washington Wizards. He finished the season averaging 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
The recent drug felony charge could have an effect on Harrell's looming free agency.
Guess the Lakers players!
