We have finally arrived at the NBA Finals. Will the Warriors’ experience and shooting lead them to another ring or will the Celtics’ defense shut them down and guide them to their first ring in over a decade? Jarael and Ryan give their predictions.
Golden State Warriors (3) v Boston Celtics (2)
Jarael: The NBA Finals are finally here. We have seen some great games and some not-so-great ones. However, I think these Finals will be highly competitive. Top defense in the league, young superstars against a more established championship team. This will be fun. I’ve watched every game these playoffs and my biggest concerns come from the Celtics. They respond well after losses and tend to struggle with efficient offense down the stretch. It’s simple if they don’t show up and get great performances from Tatum and Brown they lose. Golden State I’m more optimistic about because they still haven’t received a great performance from Wiggins. They have more room for error as their offensive threats range from Curry to Poole off the bench. I’m excited to see Curry be challenged defensively while equally excited to see if Tatum can establish himself as a superstar. He has had moments but there is no bigger stage than the Finals. Let’s see who shows up. I hope it’s not Marcus Smart, the fewer Smart shoots the higher the chances get for the C’s. I got Warriors in 6, respectfully! (Warriors 4-2).
Ryan: On paper, both teams seem to be evenly matched on both sides of the ball. (Yes, the Warriors also play really good defense and the Celtics also shoot really well). To me, this will come down to turnovers and 3-pointers. If Boston is able to force enough turnovers against a turnover plagued Warriors team and get easy fast-break dunks, they will take the series. But if the Warriors are able to utilize the screen and roll and put Horford on an island and hit those shots, they will take the series. With those two scenarios, I am giving my prediction to experience and the Warriors have a ton of Finals games under their belt. Warriors (4-2).