Previewing the NBA Finals
What Can We Expect From the Warriors & Celtics?
The Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics first met in the NBA Finals in 1964 — back when Wilt Chamberlain was a Philadelphia Warrior facing the legendary Bill Russell. Now, 58 years later, the two franchises meet again, with one team looking for their seventh title and another trying to rule the world with their 18th.
Here’s what to look forward to in the 2022 NBA Finals.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are re-entering very familiar territory, going back to their sixth Finals appearance in eight years. Here are the stats from the Dubs’ top-three WCF performers:
Steph Curry: 23.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 7.4 APG on 44–43–84 splits
Klay Thompson: 18.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.2 APG on 47–37–85 splits
Andrew Wiggins: 18.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.8 APG on 46–28–68 splits
Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevon Looney will be joined by Finals first-timers Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins. Poole has gone from the G-League to starting key games in the postseason, while Wiggins was stuck in Minnesota for six years and only has one first-round exit to show for it. Now, both of them have the opportunity to contribute on basketball’s biggest stage.
Get ready for Golden State’s high-octane offense and top-rated defense! The Splash Bros and Co. will be burning down nets and wheeling, stealing, and dealing.
Boston Celtics
The 2021–22 Celtics have no players with Finals experience but have a lot of weight on their shoulders, as they vie for their aforementioned 18th championship. Now, as a diehard Lakers fan, it’s admittedly hard to say anything nice about those guys in green, but hey, it’s worth a shot.
For starters, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been sensational throughout the playoffs and will look to continue their momentum in this upcoming series. Here are the duo’s recent stats from the Eastern Conference Finals:
Jayson Tatum: 25 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 5.6 APG on 46–35–86 splits
Jaylen Brown: 23.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 3.5 APG on 47–35–75 splits
Aside from them, the C’s also have a solid supporting cast of Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III, Grant Williams, and Al Horford — players who have time and again starred in their roles. There are also the young guards, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, who have impacted the Celtics’ playoff run in positive ways.
The young, scrappy, and hungry Celtics will certainly take it to the red-hot Warriors! Expect plenty of points, steals, blocks, and highlight-worthy plays.
The Warriors and Celtics will be bringing the energy on both ends of the court. Fans of both teams (or neither) can expect them to light up the scoreboard and leave it all on the floor.
