Boston (0-0) at Golden State (0-0)
When: Thursday, June 2nd 2022
Where: Chase Center,
San Francisco, CA
Time: 9:00 ET | TV: ABC
Opening Odds: Golden State -3/210.5
It is literally East versus West in this year’s NBA Finals, as the Boston Celtics take on the Golden State Warriors in a best-of-seven series to determine who is the 2021-22 world champs. Game 1 is set for Thursday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco with the Warriors a 3.5-point favorite and a total of 212.5. Golden State will come in with a week’s rest after taking care of the Dallas Mavericks in five games to win the Western Conference championship. The Warriors took care of the Denver Nuggets in the first round and went six games before knocking off the Memphis Grizzlies in the West semis. Golden State has been terrific at home, winning 11 straight games at Chase Center and covering five of six. However, they are just 1-4 ATS in their last five against Eastern Conference opponents.
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Boston had a tougher road to the Finals and went a full seven games with the Miami Heat to win the Eastern Conference championship on Sunday. The Celtics surprisingly swept the Brooklyn Nets in the first round then went the distance to knock off the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round. They have been true road warriors this postseason, winning seven of nine games away from TD Garden. Going back to the regular season, Boston is 12-1 against the spread in their last 13 road games. The Celtics won the most recent meeting 110-88 in San Francisco back on March 16, while the Warriors got them in Boston way back before Christmas.
Boston has been getting production from several key players this postseason like, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart. Tatum is averaging 27.0 points a contest, while Brown is next at 22.9. Smart is putting up 15.5 points a game and leads the team with 6.2 assists. Al Horford and Robert Williams III round out the starting five, while Derrick White has played a key role off the bench. White averaged 14.3 ppg in the final four games against Miami and was terrific on defense.
The Warriors are making their sixth trip to the NBA Finals in the last eight years. The main core of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have been part of the run. Curry is averaging a team-high 25.9 ppg in the playoffs, while Thompson has 22.9 ppg. Green has scored 10+ points in five of his last six games and leads the team in assists (6.3) and blocks (1.1). Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole have been giving the Warriors so much-needed help as well. Poole is averaging 18.4 ppg in the playoffs, shooting 53.1 percent from the floor and 39.3 percent from beyond the arc.
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Anytime Boston is getting points on the road, I’ll take it. Home teams have been dominating the postseason, unless they’re playing the Celtics. The path to get here has also been tougher for Boston, having to beat the Nets, Bucks and Heat. I expect a close contest here.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free NBA Picks page for today.
Pick: Celtics +3.5
