Defense, a little Curry magic, spark Warriors to Game 2 rout of Celtics

SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green made the Warriors’ Game 2 strategy clear on Saturday.

“When you’re playing against a great team at this level at this point in the season, they have to feel you every possession,” Green said.

The Celtics felt the Warriors in Game 2. That started with Green on Jaylen Brown to open the game.

“Just like I said, Steph Curry sets the tone on the offensive side of the ball, it’s my job to set the tone from the defensive side of ball,” Green said. “And I wanted to do that from the very beginning of the game.”

Golden State was physical at the point of attack, Green and Andrew Wiggins took away straight-line drives into the paint for Jayson Tatum and Brown, and the Warriors stripped the ball when the Celtics did get into the lane. Boston was still hitting its 3-pointers —10-of-19 in the first half — but they were shooting 28% inside the arc and had 11 turnovers in the first 24 minutes.

Those numbers came back to bite them in the third when the predictable Warriors avalanche came — Stephen Curry had 14 points in the frame and was hitting 3s, Klay Thomspon started to find a groove, then a struggling Jordan Poole did this.

HALF-COURT POOLE PARTY