CLEVELAND — It’s apparent after four games of the NBA Finals that the Celtics’ role model for becoming a championship contender is the Golden State Warriors.

The path to that type of success will be incredibly difficult considering the Warriors possess the two best shooters in the world. But the Celtics can at least follow the Warriors’ blueprint on how to overwhelm opponents in today’s small-ball NBA.

The Warriors have shooters, more shooters than Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, which makes them nearly impossible to defend. Golden State has mastered the art of stretching the floor and using crisp ball movement to create open 3-point opportunities.

The most telling statistic of the Warriors’ Game 4 victory was that Cleveland recorded more field goals in the second half than Golden State (18 to 17), but nine of the Warriors’ field goals were 3-pointers. Cleveland made one.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens desires an offense that relies on 3-point shooting and scoring at the rim. The Celtics were 11th in 3-point attempts this season but were 28th in 3-point percentage.

Boston lacked long-range shooting in its playoff series against Atlanta, and the Hawks dared the Celtics to shoot from beyond the arc. The result was a 27.5 percent clip from the 3-point line and a first-round defeat.

One player in this Finals series who will garner a lot of interest this summer is Golden State swingman Harrison Barnes, the team’s fourth scoring option.

Barnes will be a restricted free agent and the Celtics have the resources to make a maximum offer, although they will have heavy competition. Warriors management has maintained they will match offers for Barnes, but the club also has to eventually re-sign Curry — to perhaps one of the biggest contracts in league history — and they also have to make a decision on valuable backup center Festus Ezeli, also a restricted free agent.

Boston is going to have to take a calculated risk in free agency, and that means paying somebody over market value.

Barnes averaged 11.7 points and shot 38.3 percent from the 3-point line this season as Golden State’s starting small forward, but he attempted fewer than 10 shots per game.

During Games 3 and 4 in Cleveland, Barnes helped lift the offense by averaging 16 points on 12-of-22 shooting, including 6 of 10 from deep.

The fourth-year player is ready for more responsibility.

“Harrison was great,’’ Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after Friday’s game. “Made those early shots to help us get going. Did a great job defensively. Hit a huge three, I guess it was early fourth quarter. But he was fantastic.’’

The Celtics are going to be one of the more active teams in the draft and free agency. The question is, how can they acquire elite shooters? Nabbing those in the draft is difficult because the adjustment from the college 3-point line to the NBA line usually requires a few years. R.J. Hunter was known for his shooting prowess at Georgia State, but the first-round pick made just 30.2 percent of his 3-point attempts during his rookie season with the Celtics.

If Boston wants to take a big step forward next season, it is going to need proven shooters. And with the salary cap swelling to more than $90 million next season because of the new television contract, the Celtics are going to have to overpay for them.

The Warriors have shown the rest of the NBA that successful teams do not need space-eating centers to win. They need rim protectors and rebounders, surrounded by shooters.

As Cleveland attacked the rim or attempted mid-range jumpers in Game 4, the Warriors countered with the long ball, and it was critical to their second-half run that secured a commanding 3-1 series lead.

While the Cavaliers are the class of the Eastern Conference, they are a flawed bunch. They lack the elite shooting to compete with the Warriors. Sharpshooter J.R. Smith did not score — or even attempt a shot — in the second half Friday night.

The key is the 3-point shot. Golden State has drained 50 long balls in the series compared with Cleveland’s 30. Long-range shooters such as Channing Frye and Kevin Love have been neutralized because they can’t defend on the perimeter.

While the Cavaliers’ previous playoff opponents lacked elite shooting and were easier to defend, Cleveland has had no answer for the Warriors once they begin their 3-point barrage.

So while the Celtics desperately need a rim protector and rebounder, their No. 1 priority has to be shooting and more shooting. With players who can consistently hit 3-pointers, Stevens will find that his offensive style will flourish and the Celtics will take that desired next step.

Gary Washburn can be reached at gwashburn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GwashburnGlobe.