The Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics will kick off the Fi­ this Thursday in San Francisco NBA Finals, in a vibrant duel in which the experience of the Californians, who are fighting for their fourth ring in eight years, collides with the audacity of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, debutants on this stage.
Looking for their fourth ring in eight years (since 2015 they have only missed the 2020 and 2021 Finals), the Warriors will go to their date with the Celtics with sky-high confidence after their resounding victory in the Western final against Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks (4-1).
After two stormy years of injuries that left them out of the ‘playoffs’, Steve Kerr’s men are now all smiles with a machinery in which all the pieces seem perfectly oiled.< /p>
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson continue to be a lethal and overwhelming duo, Jordan Poole is already the third member of the “Splash Brothers”, Draymond Green represents the soul of the team and supports Joining the team on defense, Kevon Looney is getting down to business. putting his boots on the fight for the re’pot and Andrew Wiggins has adapted wonderfully to the role of complement to him and man for everything.
Unlike the Celtics, the Warriors will arrive with fresh legs and plenty of days to clear their minds. their last game against the Mavericks last Thursday (the Celtics closed their Eastern final on Sunday) and, throughout the ‘playoffs’, they have played 16 games (4-1 to Denver Nuggets, 4-2 Memphis Grizzlies and 4-1 Dallas Mavericks).
On the other hand, the Celtics have had to play 18 games and their last two playoffs (Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat) required them to reach the seventh game with what that implies of pressure. n, nerves and load both mental and physical.
In addition to having home court advantage and having saved the trip for the first two games, the Warriors have a more favorable medical report than their rivals. With no mishaps in their starting lineup, the San Francisco team hopes to expand their rotation in the Finals if the injured Otto Porter Jr., Gary Payton II and Andre Iguodala return.
The winning character of Curry, Thompson and Green is unquestionable (the Warriors have the best offensive rating of the ‘playoffs’) but we must not forget the enormous work from the bench of Steve Kerr, who In his coaching career, he has an impressive record of 21-2 in the ‘playoffs’ since they have only lost two playoffs: the 2016 and 2019 Finals.
If the leaders of the Warriors are used to these showcases, the Celtics did not reach the finals. Finals since 2010. a first time for Tatum, Brown, Smart or Al Horford, the first Dominican to qualify for the NBA Finals, after fifteen years in the league.
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Built from the draft
Core.
Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, the core of the dynasty of the Golden State Warriors, were drafted between 2009 and 2012 and are now between 32 and 34 years old.
Tatum and Brown.< /strong>
For their part, Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum, 24, and Jaylen Brown, 25, were selected in the talent draws for the years 2017 and 2016.