After splitting the regular-season series 1-1, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors begin their 2022 NBA Finals series this coming Thursday. It will be the first matchup between the two teams with the Larry O’Brien Trophy on the line.
Boston has lost four times in the championship round: three times to the Los Angeles Lakers, and once to the St. Louis Hawks in 1958. They lost their last foray into the NBA Finals back in 2010 to the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers, who had claimed their second straight title and avenged Boston’s last championship win in 2008 against the purple and gold.
The Warriors enter the series having gentleman’s swept the Dallas Mavericks in five games after a six-game series with the Memphis Grizzlies and another five-game series against the Denver Nuggets.
The Celtics, on the other hand, narrowly edged the Miami Heat in seven games after another seven-game series with the Milwaukee Bucks and a shocking sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the first round.
Game 1 takes place in the unfriendly confines of San Francisco, and Hardwood Houdini has the odds and lays out a prediction for the series-opening matchup (live on ABC at 9 P.M. EST) at the Chase Center:
Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors odds, spread, over/under
According to WynnBet, the Celtics are a 3.5-point underdog against the Warriors on the road. Golden State is a favorite at home at -165, with the Cs moneyline set at +135. The over/under for the game has been placed at 211 points.
Celtics vs. Warriors prediction
Boston matches up well the the Warriors as a strong defensive team on the perimeter. Marcus Smart will have his hands full with Steph Curry and owns a golden opportunity to solidify his status as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Still, stealing Game 1 on Golden State’s home-floor is a challenge the Houdini has no interest in forecasting.
After a low-scoring Heat series, expect fireworks for the NBA Finals’ opening contest.