In the early stages of the Finals series that would solidify Stephen Curry as one of the 10 greatest players to ever lace them up, the Celtics eagerly picked on something they believed they’d make hay with.
With a little more than five and a half minutes left in the first half of Game 1, Boston’s Marcus Smart tossed the ball to 6-foot-8 franchise player Jayson Tatum, who was posting up Curry, six inches shorter, near the elbow. Upon making the catch, Tatum immediately spun around Curry, only to find Kevon Looney positioned behind the Warriors guard to induce a miss at the rim.
The initial misfire didn’t deter the Celtics from trying again. Far from it. Their very next possession, they came down and targeted Curry, with forward Jaylen Brown overpowering him in the post for a basket. Then, just a few plays later, Tatum got deep in position in the restricted circle, making a catch and drawing a shooting foul on Curry in the process.
