What Stood Out in Game 5 of NBA Finals: Warriors Shake Off Celtics' Third-Quarter Run to Take 3-2 Lead

When the NBA Finals is 2-2, the winner of Game 5 captures the Larry O'Brien Trophy 73.3 percent of the time.

After struggling to find their rhythm and committing nine turnovers in the first half, the Celtics outscored the Warriors 19-4 to start the third quarter, gaining their first lead and providing hope the stat in the stanza above would swing in their favor.

But when Jordan Poole banked in a three at the buzzer to give Golden State the lead entering the final frame, the Warriors seized control of the game and never let it slip.

It's the first time Boston's lost back-to-back games this postseason. Now, for a deep dive into why it happened.

Celtics Struggle to Find Rhythm Offensively; Warriors Feed Off Home Crowd in First Frame

The energy from the crowd at the Chase Center at the start of the game was incredible. It resembled the atmosphere at an international soccer game.

The Warriors repeatedly made the Celtics pay with their off-ball activity, including Andrew Wiggins and Otto Porter scoring off basket cuts to help give Golden State an early 12-4 advantage.

The Warriors started the game shooting 6/9 while Boston was 2/7, lacking on and off-ball activity and struggling to get in rhythm.

The first three of the game didn't come until Klay Thompson drilled one at the 5:14 mark, extending Golden State's lead to 17-6.

Searching for a spark, Jaylen Brown came off staggered screens from Derrick White and Al Horford, attacked downhill and got a layup plus a trip to the free-throw line. However, Brown missed the foul shot, keeping the score at 17-8.

Despite the Celtics' early offensive struggles, when Jayson Tatum subbed out for Grant Williams with 4:54 remaining in the first frame, it left them with not much firepower on the floor; the lineup was Brown, Williams, White, Horford, and Marcus Smart.