NBA Finals

2022 - 5 - 30

NBA Finals 2022 - X factors and series keys to the Golden State ... (ESPN)

The NBA Finals begin Thursday on ABC. What are the biggest keys to Warriors-Celtics?

The Warriors had a combined 32 assists in those games, a slight uptick over what they averaged per game the previous round against the New Orleans Pelicans (30.8). Those traits were on full display during Golden State's closeout win over Dallas, which switched 63% of the Warriors' on-ball screens in Game 5 per Second Spectrum -- the most of any Warriors playoff game. Golden State, meanwhile, hasn't had to play in a Game 7 this postseason and dispatched the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Think of how the Houston Rockets grounded Golden State's offense down at times in the 2018 conference finals, holding them below 95 points in back-to-back wins in Games 4 and 5. This Celtics roster enters the Finals with zero games of Finals experience, while Golden State has 123. None of the Warriors' three West opponents (Denver, Memphis or Dallas) were in the top half of the league in frequency of switching on-ball screens during the regular season, per Second Spectrum tracking. Boston followed that up with seven-game thrillers in the conference semifinals and conference finals. The Warriors know that with their style of play -- fast-paced with lots of ball movement -- turnovers are bound to happen. If the Warriors cut down on their turnovers, they will be far more difficult to beat. Golden State is averaging 14.8 turnovers per game in the playoffs (fifth worst of the 16 postseason teams) for 15.9 points. But unlike their dynastic run that spanned from 2014 to 2019, this trip to the Finals wasn't a given. The Golden State Warriors, led by three-time champions Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, are making their sixth Finals appearance in the past eight seasons.

NBA Twitter Reacts to Former Sixers Assistant Going to NBA Finals (Sports Illustrated)

Former Philadelphia 76ers assistant coaches are finding a lot of success in the NBA as of late. It might be a tough pill to swallow for the Sixers ...

After making it out of the first round, the Sixers lost to the Boston Celtics in round two. While the Sixers considered Udoka to replace Brown, he was far-behind several candidates and eventually took an assistant job in Brooklyn before becoming the coach of the Celtics. Former Philadelphia 76ers assistant coaches are finding a lot of success in the NBA as of late.

How important is home-court advantage in the NBA Finals? (NBC Sports Bay Area)

The Warriors have home-court advantage over the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals. Here's what history says about the importance of Finals home court.

How often does the home team win Game 7 in the NBA Finals? How often does the home team win Game 1 in the NBA Finals? The team that hosts Game 1 also hosts Games 2, 5 and 7. The team that begins the series on the road hosts Games 3, 4 and 6. How often does the team with home-court advantage win the NBA Finals? In most cases, the team with the higher seed also has the better record.

What To Expect From Celtics-Warriors 2022 NBA Finals Matchup? (Sports Illustrated)

The Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors will begin playing the 2022 NBA Finals on Thursday night in San Francisco and here is what we should expect to ...

These two players for Golden State may not put up the dazzling numbers that Curry, Poole and Thompson do, but they are extremely important to the success of this team. Rebounding is going to be a huge factor in this series between the Celtics and Warriors, especially since the Warriors have been a terrific rebounding team given their lack of size. Neither of these guys can get going if you are the Warriors and with the success Andrew Wiggins had against Luka Doncic in the previous series, he will once again be the Warriors’ No. 1 guy when it comes to defense on the perimeter. Overall, the Celtics are a really strong rebounding team on both ends of the floor. Being able to guard multiple positions, as well as be a factor aiding the Warriors in rebounding, Wiggins has been the picture-perfect wing in an offense led by guards like Curry, Thompson and Poole. In Game 2 against Dallas, Kevon Looney had a career-high 21 points and 12 rebounds. The Golden State Warriors started the year off hot and they are ending it hot, as the Warriors have won 17 of their last 21 games dating back to the regular season. Not only has Tatum averaged 27.0 points per game on 44.6% shooting from the floor in these playoffs, but he has recorded 11 games with at least 27 points. As for Kevon Looney, his importance checks off multiple boxes. Well, here we are about to enter June and begin the 2022 NBA Finals with none of these teams playing for a championship! He proved to be key against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals and he will very likely prove to be key once again for the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Given all of the injuries they have had to deal with through the years and the adversity they faced the last two seasons missing the playoffs, Golden State is looking to send a clear message that they are still the team to beat in the NBA.

NBA Finals: How To Watch The Boston Celtics-Golden State ... (Deadline)

The Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors play in the best-of-7 NBA Finals beginning June 2.

Game 2: Sunday, June 5: Boston at Golden State, 8 ET Game 1: Thursday, June 2: Boston at Golden State, 9 ET The Warriors dispatched the Dallas Mavericks in five games to win the Western Conference title, securing their sixth trip to the NBA title series in eight years.

Boston Celtics to meet Warriors in NBA finals (WBFO)

Though they started strong and led by 15 after the first quarter, the Celtics couldn't shake the Heat until the final seconds of the game.

And they face the rested Golden State Warriors, who last appeared in the finals in 2019. Game 7 came down to the wire between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat on Sunday — but Boston ultimately prevailed. Boston now heads to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.

2022 NBA Finals betting odds: Warriors open as minus-155 favorites ... (CBSSports.com)

This means that a bet of $155 on Golden State would net a profit of $100. Boston is currently a plus-135 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on the Celtics would net a ...

The Warriors and Celtics split the season series one game apiece. - The current series line is Warriors -1.5 games, meaning if you bet that line, you'd need Golden State to win in six or fewer games. In addition, Caesars has offered lines on each possible exact outcome of the series.