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Game One went to the Celtics after they used their superior size
to stage a furious fourth quarter comeback before the Warriors
and forward Draymond Green countered with more physical play of
their own in a Game Two blowout that leveled the series.
"You respond to fire with fire, right?" Celtics guard Marcus
Smart told reporters in Boston on Tuesday.
"We've just got to turn around and do the same thing. If he's
going to come in here and try to be physical, this is our house
and we've got to protect it."
Smart, who won this year's Defensive Player of the Year Award,
said he expected a slugfest on Wednesday.
"You get hit in the mouth like that, there's only one way to
respond, and if you're not really ready to do that, then you
don't need to be on this stage," he said.
"This is a stage where we've got to be willing to risk it all
out there for your team and for the victory."
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said his squad would be prepared for a
physical contest at TD Garden.
"I would expect tomorrow to be really competitive right from the
start," Kerr said.
"We know they're going to bring a level of physicality that we
brought last game. We've got to be prepared for that. I think it
should be a great game."
Green said he had no intention of letting up after his play at
times resembled that of an NFL lineman in Game Two.
The versatile heart of the team's defense stuffed the stat sheet
with nine points, five rebounds and seven assists to go along
with his fourth technical foul of the postseason.
"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I'm going on about my
summer and we lost the NBA Finals because we couldn't meet force
with force," Green said.
"That is my department. That's where I'm supposed to lead, and I
can't let my guys down."
(Editing by Toby Davis)
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