The NBA Finals Primer 🏆

06/02/2022 The NBA Finals Primer 🏆

By: Matthew Cahill

Previewing the 2022 NBA Finals (By Matthew Cahill)

It’s finally here! The NBA Finals tip off tonight with the Boston Celtics heading into the Bay to take on the Golden State Warriors for Game 1. The Warriors are looking to solidify themselves as a modern dynasty with their fourth title in eight years, while the Celtics are trying to cap off the greatest in-season turnaround in NBA history with their first ring since 2008. Here’s all you need to know heading into this exciting matchup.

 

How The Celtics Got to the Finals

A midseason surge propelled the Celtics to the 2 seed and matched them up with the Kevin-Durant led Nets in what was arguably the most anticipated first round series in NBA history. The series ended up being a massive disappointment, mainly because Boston dominated Brooklyn, sweeping them to prove that they were legitimate Finals contenders. From there, the road has been anything but smooth sailing. After an all time 4th-quarter collapse at home in Game 5 against the Bucks in the second round, the Celtics found themselves facing elimination on the road in Milwaukee for Game 6. Jayson Tatum then responded by putting up 46 to save the Celtics season, and they went on to win Game 7. Boston then made their lives difficult again by failing to close out the Heat in Game 6 on their home floor last week, but they responded by going into Miami and picked up a monumental Game 7 victory on the road to punch their ticket to the Finals.

 

How The Warriors Got to the Finals

Golden State headed into the postseason with some major questions, that have all definitively been answered. The trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green played essentially no time together in the regular season as all three dealt with injuries that kept them out at separate times. With that in mind, many people doubted if the Dubs could put it together on the fly in the playoffs and get back to the Finals. It seems like the Warriors heard all the chatter, and they dominated the Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Mavericks in succession to stamp their sixth trip to the Finals since 2015. Jordan Poole (18.4 PPG) has emerged as a lethal spark plug in the Warriors lineup while former No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins has been the perfect 3-and-D wing. Add those two to the continued brilliance of a healthy Curry, Thompson, and Green, and you have the Warriors picking up right where they left off as title favorites.

 

3 Biggest Questions for the Finals

 

1. How Much Will Experience Matter?

No team has played in more playoff games than the Celtics since Jayson Tatum arrived in the 2018 season (68 games). Despite that, not a single player on Boston’s roster has a single game of Finals experience. The Warriors’ players, on the other hand, have an absurd 123 Finals games under their belt. So even though Boston has proven to be battle-tested over the years, it will be telling to see if they can still perform when the lights are the brightest.

 

2. Can the Warriors Defend Home Court? 

Golden State has been perfect at home throughout these playoffs (9-0). Despite that, no team loves going on the road more than the Celtics, who actually have a better record on the road (7-2) compared to home (5-4). If Boston wants a chance to win the series, they’re going to have to prove they can win in the toughest environment in the NBA.

 

3. Do the Celtics Really Have the Dubs’ Number?

Since Steve Kerr took over as head coach and the Warriors became the juggernaut we know them as today, the only team he has a losing record against in that span is the Boston Celtics. The Warriors are just 7-9 against them since 2015. The Celtics infamously broke the Warriors 54-game home winning streak back in 2016, and Marcus Smart has historically given Stephen Curry problems when guarding him (33% FG). If the Warriors want to reclaim their spot at the top of the NBA, they’re going to have to take down the one team they can’t seem to figure out.

 

NBA Finals

Gm 1: Celtics at Warriors (Tonight, 9:00 pm ET)

 

Additional Storylines

CBS: Warriors vs. Celtics: Five NBA Finals Matchups to Watch

ESPN: Experts’ Predictions for Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics

 

Photo: Maddie Malhotra / Getty Images