Celtics vs. Warriors: NBA Finals Preview

The NBA’s First Dynasty vs It’s Most Recent

It’s been a long season, but we have finally made it to another NBA Finals. It may not be the matchup we suspected at the beginning of the season, but the two historic franchises have both very well earned their respective spot in the NBA Finals.

Background

Celtics

The Celtics are searching for their 18th franchise record, which would be an NBA record. After two appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals, first losing to Lebron’s Cavs and then Butler’s Heat in the bubble, Jalen Brown and Jayson Tatum finally reached the NBA Finals for the first time at just 25 and 24 years old. Although the Celtic stars are young, they have been overachieving for years. Tatum’s experience in the playoffs at such a young age has certainly paid off as the star went toe-to-toe and defeated Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jimmy Buttler, all in the same playoff run, and lived to see another day. His experience in the playoffs at such a young age has certainly paid off. NBA stars can no longer view Tatum as a young buck, but now as a peer.

He certainly has leveled up, earning a First-Team All-NBA honor, and solidifying himself as one of the NBA’s best players in the playoffs, regardless of age, surprising many people doing so. After sweeping the Nets, the Celtics went through hell and back twice, in two separate 7-game series, against two physically imposing teams in the Bucks and Heat. If Tatum and the C’s can take down Steph and the Warriors, this would be one of the greatest, most impressive runs we’ve seen in quite some time, all led by a 24-year-old no one viewed as a playoff threat headed into the season. Still can’t believe all of what Tatum has done? Get used to it because the superstar in him is here and isn’t going anywhere.

Warriors

As for the Warriors, the stars once finding themselves in a position these young Celtics were in, are now NBA legends and the vets of this matchup. After missing the playoffs back-to-back years due to some injuries, the Warriors are making their sixth finals appearance in eight years. Some wrote the Warriors dynasty off, and labeled them done after the departure of Kevin Durant (KD and Kyrie left their teams so they could team up, and now both their respective teams are in the Finals, HA!). However, their story is still being written in the NBA history books. Steph Curry and company are searching for their fourth NBA Championship together and their seventh in franchise history (which would be third all-time behind the Celtics and Lakers).

One of the bigger storylines in the finals will be if Steph can win his first NBA finals MVP. If the Warriors pull this off due to the inconsistency from game to game with Klay, Poole, and Draymond, I don’t see a scenario where Steph doesn’t bring home some extra hardware.

The franchise’s front office has done an excellent job surrounding the Warrior’s Big 3 with young stars. They’ve done beyond what anyone expected in developing Kevon Looney and Poole to be serious impact players and brought in exactly what the Warriors needed in Wiggins (a big wing who can play defense, cuts well, and isn’t a ball hog). He’s playing with Steph and Klay, so I would sure hope this is the best he’s ever played with a spaced-out court and defenses forgetting about him on half the possessions). It’s arguable the best front office in the business, and the possibility of their fourth Championship in the eight years shows that. On another note, Steve Kerr is the perfect coach for all of this, creating an always moving and cutting offense for the best shooters of all-time to succeed and win. Dynasty.

The Matchup

Since Steve Kerr took over as the Warrior’s head coach in 2015, he has a winning record against 28 of the 29 possible teams in the NBA. The one team with his number, The Celtics, as Boston has won 9 of 16. Over their last seven matchups, Golden State has dropped six.

Boston will certainly be the best team Golden State has seen in the playoffs. Though Boston has an elite half-court defense, there will be stretches over the series where they feel helpless to the Warriors and their offense’s three-point wrath. The biggest question of the series will be if Boston’s half-court offense is sustainable enough to keep up with Golden State.

What gets overlooked by the media is the Warriors’ defense. They have the number two rated defense of the post-season, only behind Boston. Klay Thompson may not be the defender he once was, but the splash bro certainly looked the best since returning from injury in the conference finals against Dallas. Wiggins, who stands 6'7", is a large guard who will do what he can against Tatum. There is no shutting down superstars like JT, but Wiggins is a good option for him between his size and athleticism. Steph Curry is playing the best defense of his career at the moment. He’s still no lockdown defender, but he’s gained some muscle since his MVP days and isn’t afraid to take on a challenge. He will most likely stay on Marcus Smart and Derrick White. Between Draymond’s help and trap defense, he’s bound to cause a few turnovers every game, while Looney won’t fill up the stat sheet with blocks but is always in the right spot under the basket. I would anticipate fast-paced basketball this series, as both teams are not going to want to allow their opponent to settle into their half-court defense.

Prediction

With that being said, the Warriors are much more accustomed to playing at a fast pace and dominating the transition game. On paper, the defensive player of the year, Marcus Smart, matches up with Curry well. Al Horford is a player that won’t get out-hustled by Draymond. At the same time, Tatum and Brown should usually have favorable matchups on both sides of the floor, especially on defense, as they are both elite 1-on-1 defenders. However, the Warriors are not a 1-on-1 team by any means. Their offense does not start by dribbling past defenders but by off-ball screens and off-ball cuts. No one is ever standing still for Golden State because Kerr will pull them immediately if they are not always moving. It’s a constant flow that allows them to generate shots for everyone, wear down the defenses’ stamina, and not allow elite on-ball defenders (Smart, Tatum, Brown)to contribute like they often do.

At the beginning of the post-season, I stated that I did not believe Golden State would lose a home game in the playoffs, and so far, I’ve been right. The basket is as wide as the ocean in Chase Center, and although the Celtics have been great on the road and haven’t lost back-to-back playoff games, I think they go down 0–2 to start the series. Boston bounces back at home and ties it up 2–2. Golden State returns home, gets the job done, and finishes them off the Celtics in 6. Curry and company win their fourth ring together. Steph wins his first Finals MVP, leading to ridiculous Steph vs. Lebron conversations (Steph’s success should not have any Impact on Lebron’s career, by the way), and Steve Kerr wins his sixth total Championship ring.