The Golden State Warriors must win Game 2 against the Celtics or else
Though all is not lost just yet and the past doesn’t necessarily assure the present, the Warriors will know that a Game 2 loss would severely cripple their chances of becoming NBA champions once again.
While the series may just have started and they are only trailing 1-0 in a best of seven series, make no mistake this is a critical moment for the Warriors who are playing at home.
The Golden State Warriors have to win Game 2
The Warriors’ Draymond Green insists that the team will be fine after a shocking turn around in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the Boston Celtics. With that said, the reality is the Warriors lost the first game of the NBA Finals at home and now head into Game 2 - also at home - with what has got to be some degree of uncertainty lurking in the back of their minds. This is not to say that this writer has doubts about Golden State’s ability to bounce back, but rather it’s a normal reaction to having the rug pulled out from under you. Then there is also the question of history.
Quite simply, there is no team in NBA history which has lost the first two games of the Finals at home and come back to win the series. Winning at home is specified here because yes, there have been teams that managed to overturn a 2-0 deficit and go on to be champions, but on those five occasions it was always the team that was on the road that did so, as understandably they had the luck of going back home to play the third game of the series. Just last year in fact, the Milwaukee Bucks were able to orchestrate a sensational turn around after losing the first two games away to the Phoenix Suns. Giannis and Co. would go on to sweep the next four games straight and with that be crowned as NBA champions. Incidentally the Warriors themselves fell victim to such feat when the lost to the Cavs in seven games after winning the first two back in 2016.
Statistics favor the Boston Celtics
While nothing in sport is ever guaranteed until the final whistle is blown or in this case the final game, the fact remains that if the Warriors lose on Sunday, they will not only be 2-0 down in the series which we already established is less than ideal, but they will have to regain their footing in the series in Boston. Again, less than ideal. To be clear, some 70% of the teams who have won Game 1 in the NBA Finals have gone on to win the whole thing. In light of that, it would be fair to say that the the Celtics definitely have an advantage in this series already.
Winning Game 1 of the NBA Finals on the road is not easy
In case you’re wondering, it’s not actually so common to see the road team clinch a victory in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. There have in fact only been six teams that have managed to do it which is where the Warriors can take some comfort. Why you ask? Simply because of those six occasions, three of the teams who lost the first game actually went on to win the series. 1991 saw the Michael Jordan led Chicago Bulls overturn a Game 1 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers to clinch the series in five games. Then there were the Lakers of 2001 who on the back of inspired performances by the late and great Kobe Bryant managed to completely overturn Allen Iverson’s Sixers. Last but not least we had the Heat in 2013 who came roaring back in what turned out to be a seven game thriller before finally becoming champions. This is all to say that it’s not over for the Warriors just yet, but rest assured should they lose Game 2 as well, it will take nothing short of a never before seen effort - literally - to make them champions once again.