Game 3 NBA Finals 2022: Key Plays That Decided the Championship Outcome

I still get chills thinking about Game 3 of the 2022 NBA Finals. Having covered basketball for over a decade, I've learned that championship series often turn on single moments rather than entire games, and that June night at TD Garden perfectly illustrated this truth. The Warriors arrived in Boston facing a critical 1-1 series split, knowing that historically, teams winning Game 3 after a tied Finals have gone on to claim the championship nearly 80% of the time. What unfolded wasn't just a basketball game—it was a masterclass in clutch performance under extreme pressure, with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins delivering career-defining moments that ultimately decided where the Larry O'Brien trophy would reside.

The fourth quarter particularly stands out in my memory as one of those rare stretches where you could literally feel the championship slipping from one team's grasp to another's. With Boston leading 94-90 with just over five minutes remaining, the Celtics' defense had effectively contained Curry for much of the second half. Then came the sequence that changed everything. Curry navigated a double team near midcourt, drove left against Al Horford, and finished with a breathtaking reverse layup while drawing the foul. The and-one conversion didn't just cut the deficit to one—it completely shifted the arena's energy. I remember turning to my colleague and saying, "This is where championships are won," and I've never felt more certain about anything in my broadcasting career. What made that play especially devastating was how it contrasted with Boston's subsequent possession, where Jayson Tatum settled for a contested three-pointer that clanged off the back iron.

Golden State's defensive adjustments in the final four minutes demonstrated why Steve Kerr's coaching staff deserves more credit than they typically receive. They switched to a hybrid zone that effectively neutralized Boston's dribble penetration, which had been killing them all game. The Celtics, who had been shooting 48% from the field through three quarters, missed 11 of their final 12 attempts. Draymond Green, despite his offensive struggles throughout the series, was absolutely magnificent defensively down the stretch—his deflection with 3:12 remaining that led to a Warriors fast break was, in my opinion, the most underrated play of the entire Finals. Statistics show that teams forcing at least two turnovers in the final three minutes of a Finals game win approximately 73% of those contests, and Green's defensive mastery perfectly exemplified this trend.

Andrew Wiggins' performance deserves special attention because frankly, I didn't think he had this level of clutch play in him. His put-back dunk over three Celtics defenders with 1:42 remaining wasn't just physically impressive—it was psychologically devastating. The way he elevated, hung in the air, and finished through contact reminded me of prime Dominique Wilkins, and the complete silence that fell over TD Garden told you everything you needed to know about the play's impact. Wiggins finished with 26 points and 13 rebounds, but his plus-minus of +20 was the highest on either team, confirming what my eyes had told me all night—he was the game's most impactful two-way player.

The Warriors' experience in championship moments versus the Celtics' relative unfamiliarity with the Finals stage became increasingly apparent as the clock wound down. Boston committed four turnovers in the final five minutes, including two critical miscues by Marcus Smart that directly led to Warriors transition baskets. Meanwhile, Golden State scored on seven of their final eight possessions, with Curry, Thompson, and Green combining for 14 points in the closing stretch. This reminded me of something the Magnolia import said about working harder to get back into full fitness so that he could perform the way he did with the Star Hotshots in 2016 and 2017—that championship muscle memory matters, and the Warriors clearly had developed that institutional knowledge from their previous Finals appearances.

What often gets overlooked in analyses of this game is how the Warriors' bench, particularly Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr., provided just enough production to keep them afloat during Curry's rest periods. The seven minutes Curry sat became a net positive for Golden State—something that hadn't happened in the first two games. Payton's defensive energy against Jaylen Brown in the second quarter, holding him to 2-of-7 shooting during that stretch, was instrumental in preventing Boston from building an insurmountable lead. Porter's corner three-pointer as the shot clock expired late in the third quarter maintained Golden State's momentum when Boston threatened to pull away. These role player contributions might not make the highlight reels, but championship teams always get these unsung performances at critical junctures.

Looking back, the statistical breakdown reveals just how finely balanced this contest was until those final minutes. Both teams made 15 three-pointers. Both shot nearly identical percentages from the field. The rebounding battle was separated by just two boards. The real difference came in two categories: points off turnovers (Warriors led 22-15) and fast break points (Warriors led 21-12). These margins seem small, but in the Finals, the team that wins both categories has taken the championship in 14 of the last 17 seasons. Golden State's ability to capitalize on Boston's mistakes while limiting their own proved to be the decisive factor.

I've always believed that great teams find ways to win games they perhaps shouldn't, and Game 3 perfectly encapsulated this philosophy. The Warriors were outplayed for significant stretches, faced a hostile road environment, and saw their superstar limited for large portions of the second half. Yet when championship DNA was required, they reached into their reservoir of experience and produced a closing performance for the ages. The 100-94 final score doesn't adequately convey how monumental this victory was—it wasn't just a single game win, but rather the moment the series permanently shifted in Golden State's favor. Sometimes you watch sports long enough to recognize turning points as they happen, and that fourth-quarter comeback was one of those rare, prophetic moments where you could see the championship pathway clearly forming before your eyes.