As the Warriors and Celtics meet in Game 1 of the Finals, which team will have the advantage?
Q: Prediction time: Who will play in the 2022 NBA Finals and why?
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Steve Aschburner: Warriors in 6. I attribute that to the experience factor, with Golden State being here for the sixth time in eight years versus Boston’s rookie status. The Celtics’ two most important scorers, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, have their ups and downs, unlike the top Warriors. And Golden State is strong enough in several spots to put emphasis on Boston’s stingy defense. I would have picked this as a shorter series if not for the Warriors’ tendency so far this spring to play with their food, needing an extra game in each previous round to close out Denver, Memphis and Dallas, respectively.
Marc Medina: Warriors in 7. The outcome of each game can depend on a handful of possessions, which likely indicates the importance of each shot, mistake and turnover. However, two major variables will emerge. The Warriors will both benefit greatly from their experience and home-court advantage. The Celtics have their own experience both in terms of playoff gaps and roster continuity. But they struggle to match the collective muscle memory of the Warriors, their core championship players knowing both how to execute and how to elevate their less experienced teammates. The Warriors also remained undefeated in their first playoff series at Chase Center (9-0). The Warriors and Celtics are capable of (and likely will need to) win on each other’s home court to win the title. However, the improvement in the atmosphere on the Warriors court could tip the scales.
Shaun Powell: Celtics in 7. Yes, it seems risky to pick a team to win a third straight seven-game series, especially at this point in the game, and especially against the experienced Warriors. But the Celtics appear to be a team of destiny, thriving since late January, with Marcus Smart winning Defensive Player of the Year, with Jayson Tatum taking a superstar turn, with role players who complement well, with this team winning playoff games in the playoffs. route to Milwaukee and Miami. And with the defense. It’s Boston time.
John Schumann: Warriors in 7. This is not an easy series to predict, and the first game will be fascinating in terms of matchups and schemes. The Celtics seemingly had a tougher path to the Finals, and they were actually better statistically, outscoring their opponents by 1.6 points more per 100 possessions than the Warriors. Boston has the best defense the Warriors have faced since these teams last met on March 16, with no liability on that side of the floor among their top seven rotation players. The Warriors seemingly have a higher ceiling, they should be the fresher and healthier team, and they obviously have the best offense the Celtics have faced since (at least) the first round. This should certainly be a long series, and Golden State should be the slight favorite, but an 18th banner for the Celtics wouldn’t be a big surprise.
Michael C. Wright: Warriors in 7. This series could go either way because both teams are really, really good. Even though the Warriors won, to be fair, this prediction was made before they even reached this point. That’s because there’s a hunger that we could see in this Golden State team since the conference finals, when these “old” experienced Warriors with three starters aged 32 or older simply outplayed a young team from Dallas. The Warriors beat the Mavs to turnovers and rebounds for most of the series, while playing with a grit and determination that Dallas never seemed to match. Golden State could see the Finals on the horizon and worked hard to get there. Now that the Warriors are back on that stage, you know they’ll be remembered for not finishing the job in 2019. The Celtics are the best defensive team Golden State has seen in the playoffs, but they don’t have everything just not the man-to-man offensive firepower, championship experience or consistency that the Warriors bring to this series.
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