Adam Silver must be the happiest man alive. You may ask, why? In the next two weeks, the sports world will be tuned into his sport for whats expected to be a riveting contest. The Warriors and the Celtics present us with a pantheon of storylines on and off the court. It will be the matchup of the present-day dynasty versus the one that dominated the past. The court will be filled with superstars, all-Stars, and high IQ basketball players. It will be a matchup of two of the top 5 best home crowds, and it will attract a big tv audience. Yes, these finals have the making of being the best since Lebron and the Cavs stormed back from 3-1 to win the chip. In this article, we will break down the matchup and make our prediction for Game 1 and the series.
1. Best defense versus Top Offense-NBA fans will be watching a special matchup of offense versus defense in the NBA finals. The Boston Celtics’ turned their season around and it can be attributed to their potency on the defensive end. In the regular season, Boston allowed a league-low 104.5 points. The team can contain the best players because of its rare combination of size, athleticism, and scheme. The team is built to switch on every single play without a weak focal point to attack. On the other hand, the Warriors have the top offense in the playoffs scoring 114.5 points per game, and it is a beautiful brand of basketball. The Steve Kerr system is about movement, passing, and cutting with elite shooting on the perimeter. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this matchup.
2. Battle of the Superstars-the deeper that teams go in the playoffs means the bigger expectation on the superstars of both teams. In the 2022 playoffs, Jayson Tatum has emerged as a superstar and a player that can deliver on the big stage. Tatum has elevated his play because of his passing and the ability to defend his opponent’s best wing player. Tatum’s signature moment was delivering a virtuoso performance in scoring 46 points in Game 6 against the Bucks to keep his team alive in this playoff run. On the Warriors, the focus will be on Steph Curry, who will get another chance to quiet the critics. Curry can detonate the home crowd with his deadly three-point shooting. Curry will be hungry to add his fourth title and first Finals MVP.
3. Turnover margin is the key-the deciding factor will be the turnover battle because both teams play high-quality basketball but get into trouble when they turn the ball over. The Celtics have averaged 14 turnovers per game in the playoffs, and in their losses they have averaged 16.3 per game. The Celtics need to protect the ball because the Warriors convert turnovers into transition threes that electrifies the building. On the other hand, the Warriors have struggled with turnovers averaging 14.8 per game, which is fifth-worst among the 16 playoff teams. However, in losses, the number jumps to 16.3 turnovers, which translates to 20.8 points for opponents. The team that takes care of the ball will win.
4. Which secondary scorer will be better?-if Steph and Tatum play to their levels, then this series may come down to the best secondary scorer between Klay Thompson and Jaylen Brown. Klay has been journey after suffering multiple knee issues and getting back to his best after a 941-day layoff. In these playoffs, Klay has saved his performance for the final games of the series but they will need a consistent effort throughout the Finals. Jaylen Brown will need to relish the opportunity to show the basketball world that he is underrated. Brown can blow past his defender with his speed, show athleticism in finishing at the rim and knocking down shots on the perimeter. It will be fun to see who will win this head-to-head matchup, and the winner will likely determine who will win it ultimately.
5. X-factors for both teams?- NBA championships are usually won based on the under-the-radar performance of a player. I think the Warriors’ x-factor will be Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins was an All-Star this season and has elevated his play in the postseason. After facing Luca Doncic, he will have to contain Jayson Tatum and producing the same aggression on the offensive end that he displayed in the Mavericks series. On the other hand, the Celtics’ x-factor will be Marcus Smart. Smart is the Defensive Player of the Year, and his credentials will be tested in this series against Steph Curry. Smart is the team;s point guard, and needs to dictate the pace and share the ball. In the fourth quarter, he needs to get the ball in the hand of Tatum and Brown to take the team to victories. The contribution of these x-factors may determine who wins the Finals.
6. Finals Experience-the Boston Celtics enter the Finals with their players having zero games on basketball’s biggest stage. On the other hand, the Warriors have played 123 games collectively due to their core. Yes, It is a massive gap in experience. The 2022 NBA Finals is just the third Finals in history where one team will have 100-plus games of experience while the opponent has zero. It is the first time since the 1997 Finals when the Michael Jordan-led Bulls had played 134 games while the Utah Jazz had 0. It is an edge for the Warriors because their star players will know what it takes to bring their team over the line. However, Ime Udoka was on the Spurs coaching staff when the Spurs avenged their Final loss in 2014. He will need to coach his players to pull through tough stretches in this series.
Prediction-I believe in the mantra defense wins championships, and I think the Celtics will execute their plan. The key for the Celtics is withstanding the Warriors’ 5-minute spurts usually in the third quarter when they get extremely hot from the perimeter. I believe Tatum and Brown will elevate their play and out-duel Curry and Thompson, and deliver banner 18 to Beantown. I have the Celtics in 7.
Game 1- I have the Celtics winning Game 1 to shock the NBA world. Final score-112-108.