Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics will open the NBA Finals action on Thursday evening. The home side wants to continue its excellent streak in front of its fans and get the advantage in this series. The visitors go to this one after two exciting series, and they hope to stun the rivals on the road.
Golden State has lost just four games in the NBA 2022 playoffs, and they are full of confidence ahead of this encounter. The hosts want to continue their winning streak on the home court and make the first step toward the title. On the other hand, Boston needed to go through seven games against Miami to reach the NBA Finals. Nevertheless, the away side aims for the title, and they don’t want to stop here.
Golden State Warriors – Can they continue winning at home?
The Warriors have been pretty convincing in the post-season so far, as they avoided any drama on their way to the finals. They allowed one win to the Nuggets and the Mavericks, while the Grizzlies fell after the six-game series. Golden State heads to this clash after beating Dallas 120-110 in their most recent match last Thursday. The Warriors commanded the game and were 17 points ahead at halftime. They controlled the rest of the encounter to book a vital victory and book their place in the NBA Finals. Golden State had an excellent 51.1 field goal percentage while hitting 38.9% of their three-pointer shots.
Stephen Curry leads Golden State’s way in the playoffs with 25.9 points per game, followed by 6.2 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and a team-high 1.1 steals. Klay Thompson produces 19.8 pts, while Jordan Poole averages 18.4 points during the post-season. Andrew Wiggins is another player with a double-digit number of points (15.8), while Draymond Green tops the assists charts with 6.3 per game. Regarding the selection issues, Gary Payton II, James Wiseman, and Andre Iguodala are still out, while Otto Porter Jr. is questionable.
Expected Line-Up: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green
with best odds
Boston Celtics – Are they capable of providing an upset?
The Celtics are coming off two exhausting series, where they needed to go through 14 matches to eliminate the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat. Nevertheless, they booked a decisive 100-96 win away from home on Sunday evening to clinch their place in the NBA Finals. Boston was 15 points ahead already after the first quarter, and although Miami came dangerously close in the last minutes of the match, the Celtics kept their minds focused. Although their field goal percentage wasn’t very high, Boston scored 34.4% of their shots from the three-pointer area. They also had seven rebounds more than the Heat.
Jayson Tatum has been the most efficient player for Boston during the post-season, with 27 points per match, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists. Jaylen Brown has been averaging 22.9 pts and 6.8 rebs, while Marcus Smart produces 15.5 points and has a team-high 6.2 assists. Al Horford controls the paint with 9.6 per contest, while he and Grant Williams contribute to Boston’s offense with a double-digit number of points. On the other hand, only Sam Hauser will be unavailable to make an appearance in this clash.
Expected Line-Up: Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Robert Williams III
Expert Pick #1 – Golden State Warriors -3.5 @-110
Although the Celtics have been very good on the road in the playoffs, I believe the Warriors will win and cover on the home ground. They booked 11 straight wins on their court, covering the margin ten times on the previous 12 occasions. Since the spread is low, I will back the hosts ATS as my first pick.
Expert Pick #2 – Over 212.5 @-110
Boston has a pretty tight defense, but Golden State managed to find a solution for a disciplined Dallas backline. Four of the Warriors’ last five games went over the margin, and I don’t think this one will be much different. That’s why I’ll go with the Over as my second bet.
Expert Pick #3 – Golden State Warriors Over 107.5 @-120
The Warriors produced 108+ pts in nine of their last 11 home games, and I believe they will continue in the same fashion. They held their numbers high in the previous four home games, and Golden State should continue their scoring streak.
