Getty Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum
After winning Game 3 of the 2022 NBA Finals, it looked like the Boston Celtics had the edge over the Golden State Warriors. But they didn’t, as the Warriors won the next three games to win the series. Apparently, Stephen Curry knew the Celtics collapse would come ahead of time, according to one ex-Celtic.
Former Celtic Juwan Morgan revealed what Curry told the Celtics after winning Game 3.
“We’re sitting there, and (Curry) looked and was like, ‘Enjoy y’all last win,’ Morgan said on Tidal League, in a clip aggregated by warriorsworld’s X account. “I’m like, ‘Us? We’re up 2-1. Like, whatchu mean?’ I’m sitting here like, ‘I need my ring size.’… This kept me up at night. I’m like, ‘Nah, he ain’t say that.'”
“Enjoy y’all last Win” – Steph to the Celtics Players after G3
Warriors won 3 straight to win the title.
🥶🥶🥶
Via @TidalLeague
Curry’s words turned out to be prophetic, as that was the Celtics’ last win of 2022. With the win, Curry won his fourth title as a player, and the Warriors won their seventh title as a franchise.
Morgan was a mid-season addition for the Celtics in 2022. He played one regular season game and nine playoff games for the Celtics that season. The Celtics included him in the trade that sent them Malcolm Brogdon. He hasn’t played a regular season game in the NBA since then.
Jaylen Brown Says Celtics Weren’t Ready in 2022
During the 2024 All-Star Break, Jaylen Brown caught up with Draymond Green. After Green praised Brown, Brown returned the favor while also stating the Celtics weren’t ready during the 2022 NBA Finals.
“Draymond does what Draymond does,” Brown said on February 17, per NBA on TNT’s X account. “Just bringing that force to the game… Without him on the floor, some of them championships don’t happen. You know what I mean? That force that he brings on defense and offense, and sometimes it goes a little extreme, but that’s how you win. Draymond has mastered that.
“When I played against you in the Finals, when you went to that level of just force, we wasn’t ready. But we gonna be ready this time.”
“I appreciate you man. That’s not bad!” 😂🤣
Jaylen Brown wasn’t expecting all the compliments from Draymond
Now whether the Celtics face the Warriors in the finals is up in the air. The Celtics have the NBA’s best record at 43-12, which puts them at the No. 1 seed. The Warriors are 27-26, which puts them at the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. Golden State would have a high mountain to climb to return, but the Heat had to do the same in 2023, and they still did it.
Warriors Tried to Acquire Former Celtic: Report
Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported that the Warriors had targeted ex-Celtic Kelly Olynyk, among others. Although he also explained why the Warriors balked at acquiring Olynyk.
“While Golden State also held serious talks with Utah about acquiring veteran center Kelly Olynyk, sources said, and engaged Chicago about landing versatile defender Alex Caruso, Kuminga and Wiggins have thrived, side by side, in the Warriors’ revamped lineup — especially now that Draymond Green has returned from a month’s long suspension,” Fischer wrote in a February 22 story.
Instead, the Jazz traded Olynyk to the Raptors. Golden State has a stretch big with Dario Saric, but Olynyk would have given them more spacing in their frontcourt. Having that helped them beat the Celtics in 2022 with Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica.