Celtics Ripped by Experts for 4th Quarter Meltdown in Game 5 Loss to Warriors

When the Boston Celtics look back on Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, the team will not be happy with its fourth-quarter performance.

Boston fell to the Golden State Warriors 104-94 at Chase Center after an implosion in the final frame to fall behind 3-2 in the series. The Celtics had used an impressive third-quarter run to overcome a 12-point halftime deficit, only to squander it with just 20 points in the fourth quarter.

It was a disappointing finish after a strong comeback for Boston. The Celtics shot 4-of-15 from the field and 2-of-8 from three-point range in the fourth quarter.

Experts and critics online didn't hold back in their assessment of Boston's late-game collapse.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 27 points, but he scored only five in the fourth quarter. Boston failed to take advantage of an off-night by Golden State star point guard Stephen Curry, who was limited to 16 points on 7-of-22 shooting (0-for-9 from deep).

Now on the brink of elimination, the Celtics will head home for Thursday's Game 6, desperate for a shift in momentum. Boston has struggled throughout this series to compete at a high level for a full four quarters, and the team can't afford another such occurrence. Any other lapses by the Celtics could lead to the Warriors hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy at the TD Garden.