Sometimes we get to the end and we can’t help but feel cheated. After a tight schedule of 82 games and a grueling postseason, we sometimes seem to find ourselves with the wrong teams in the NBA Finals, whether it’s injuries, incredible buzzing, poor refereeing, or just plain bad luck.
This year, however, this is not the case, as the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors will meet in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, in a battle between the two best teams of the postseason. Of course, there were injuries on the road, as every year, and we can talk about the semifinals of the Phoenix Suns conference, Game 7 collapses as a potential “yes, but what will happen” on the way to the Warriors back to the finals. But it’s hard to say that Boston – the best team in the league since the end of January – and the Warriors with healthy stars somehow did not win their place in the finals.
The game itself is juicy, with the Celtics boasting the best defense of the regular season and the second best of the playoffs, as Warriors celebrities Stephen Curry, Clay Thompson and Draymond Green lead the best attack of the postseason. On paper, the series is full of intriguing matches and somehow symbolizes a battle old against new for supremacy in the league.
The Warriors come in as tried and true blue bloods, appearing for their sixth final appearance in eight seasons, with three titles to show. The Celtics, on the other hand, reached the finals for the first time since 2010, when they were led by two stars in their mid-20s – Jason Tatum and Jaylan Brown – along with the first annual head coach at Name Udoka.
All this makes the series extremely difficult to predict, but most agree that it should be long and exciting. But before we get ahead of ourselves, we need to start with Game 1. Our CBS Sports experts from the NBA set out to predict not only who will win the first game of the NBA Finals in 2022, but also the exact end result – how it is this for the brave? Read the predictions below, along with information on watching the opening of the NBA Finals on Thursday.
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How to watch game 1 live
Game: NBA Finals, Game 1 Date: Thursday, June 2 Time: 21:00 ETLocation: Chase Center – San Francisco, CATV: ABC | Live Stream: fuboTV (Get access now) Odds: BOS +145; GS -170; O / U 212.5 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Game presented Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics
Prediction of the Celtics against the Warriors, match selection 1
Brad Botkin: There’s a lot of talk here about rest. Boston is well rested. Not played since Sunday. I chose the Celtics to win the series and part of that logic stems from taking the lead early. The Golden State violation is atypical and takes some time to get used to? The same can be said for Boston’s defense. I like the individual creation of Boston’s shots more than Golden State’s, and that applies to the series as a whole, as well as to any game. Choice: Celtics +3.5 | Celtics 108, Warriors 101
James Herbert: My brain tells me it’s going to be a low-scoring game, given that these are the two best defenses in the NBA. My brain also tells me that the Warriors will win comfortably, as the series almost always starts well, the Celtics are miracle buzzers, far from 0-3 in opening during these playoffs, and the Golden State attack is a shock to the system. But I don’t believe my brain when it comes to predicting the outcome of a basketball game. These teams are equal, so maybe the Warriors will be careless and the Boston attack will continue. Let’s go crazy. Choice: Celtics +3.5 | Celtics 123, Warriors 115
Michael Kaskey-Blomain: Going to Game 1, the Warriors will be a more relaxed team and certainly a more experienced team, which means that the moment is less likely to reach them and affect their game. Plus, the Golden State attack has been snapping throughout the postseason, while Boston has been inconsistent at times. Add the potential return of defender Gary Peyton II and the Warriors should be able to take care of the business in the first game of the series. Choice: Warriors -3.5 I Warriors 113, Celtics 101
Jack Maloney: I chose the Celtics to win the series, but they only won one game 1 during that series and that was the bell. The Warriors, meanwhile, are a remarkable 21-2 in Game 1 in the Steve Kerr era. A factor in the extended rest of the Warriors and the advantage of the home field and they have to win this one. Choice: Warriors -3.5 I Warriors 111, Celtics 104
Sam Quinn: The Warriors are 4-1 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals under Steve Kerr, losing only in 2019 to Toronto to Kevin Durant. Their style differs so drastically from all other teams that opponents usually need a game or two to adjust, and even if that is not the case, the Warriors have a three-day break advantage and a healthier main list. Boston will make this series competitive and may win all the work, but Golden State should be highly preferred in Game 1. Choice: Warriors -3.5 | Warriors 109, Celtics 102
Colin Ward-Henninger: We can talk about how both teams have performed in Match 1 so far in the playoffs, but as Warriors coach Steve Kerr keeps saying about the post-season: “Every series is different. Every game is different. ” With that in mind, we need to use some sort of criteria to make a reasonable assumption, so let’s continue with the fact that Golden State – a team whose stars are much older than the Celtics – benefits from nearly a week’s break while The Celtics will be three days away from completing Emotional Game 7 after one of the most physical, tiring series we’ve seen since the early 2000s. Warriors only have to slip for a split second on both ends to get you to pay, and Boston seems more likely to do so after the series, which has just ended. Choice: Warriors -3.5 | Warriors 106, Celtics 98
Jasmine Wimbish: The Warriors will go out and try to make a statement in Game 1. They have an advantage in the home in an atmosphere that is disturbing to play, and although I don’t think it will be easy, I’m going with Golden State. to lead 1-0. Choice: Warriors -3.5 | Warriors 110, Celtics 105
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