NBA Finals

Stephen Curry has a chance to own the championship stage, while Boston's big men loom large in this rematch of the 1964 Finals.

With their escape in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, they’re 10-1 when leading after the third quarter and 2-5 when trailing after the third. Over their 16 games, they’ve outscored their opponents by 25.4 points per 100 possessions in the fourth quarter, the best mark for any team in any quarter in these playoffs and what would be the second best single-quarter mark in the last 10 years for a team that has advanced past the first round. This edition of the Warriors has won the fourth quarter by double-digits twice as many times (six) as it has lost the period (three — once in each series). The dominance has been mostly about offense, with the Warriors scoring 133.9 points per 100 possessions over those 192 minutes. There’s some garbage time mixed in there, but the Warriors are 4-3 in games they trailed after the third period after going 7-19 in such games in the regular season. They need to flex that muscle in ways the Mavericks couldn’t in the West finals against Golden State. Al Horford is having a renaissance and Robert Williams III, assuming he’s healthy, is an athletic rim protector. Their veteran trio is championship-tested and the infusion of youth and quickness makes for a winning combination.

Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics defeated the Heat in seven games in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals. This ...

The only other team with at least five championships is the Spurs (5). Boston's most recent title came in 2008 when it defeated the Lakers in six games. The Celtics as a franchise are familiar with this stage.

A new champion will be crowned after the 2022 NBA Finals. Here's how to watch the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics face off.

Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday, June 16 at 9 p.m. ET (ABC) Game 5 (if necessary): Monday, June 13 at 9 p.m. ET (ABC) The games for the 2022 NBA Finals will have a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the Warriors having home-court advantage.

This is going to be a star-studded affair featuring the Celtics' elite defense going up against an equally elite Warriors offense. Which team will raise the ...

They blew the Warriors out in the second meeting — with the caveat that Curry did miss most of that game. Ultimately, though, I can't see anyone cracking this Celtics defense. A few of the games in this series will come down to which team can hit more above-the-break 3-pointers. If the Celtics can figure out a way to score enough, then they will win. Can the Celtics, a switch-heavy team susceptible to slips to the basket, make less mistakes off that player movement than the Mavs did? The Warriors get a lot of attention for their 3-point shooting prowess, but rim pressure can create open looks for their shooters. Points in the paint. Smart will likely be the main guy on Curry, but the Celtics don't have any weak defenders to target in their starting lineup. Marcus Smart made headlines when these teams matched up in March, injuring Curry on what Steve Kerr later deemed "a dangerous play." Which team will raise the Larry O'Brien Trophy? The Warriors will try to add title No. 7 to their record books. The matchup is set.

The 2022 NBA Finals are set. This year, two of the NBA's most decorated franchises in the Celtics and Warriors will face off for a chance to take home the ...

Game Game Game Game Game Or will the Celtics reclaim their stake as the NBA's most successful franchise with a record 18th NBA championship?

The Warriors and the Celtics will square off in the 2022 NBA Finals, which start on Thursday.

Tim Kawakami Tim Kawakami Tim Kawakami Boston last won the championship in 2008. The Warriors won 111-107 on Dec. 17 and lost 110-88 on March 16. Coach Steve Kerr and Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have been a part of every finals trip.

Caesars Sportsbook installed the Warriors (-160) as the series favorites over the Celtics in the NBA Finals, which tip off Thursday night in San Francisco.

The bet would pay a net $120,000. The bet would pay a net $250,000 if Boston wins the title. While Golden State was among the top tier of title favorites, Boston began the season as a 50-1 long shot.

Jayson Tatum scored 26 points and the Boston Celtics held off a frantic rally in the final seconds to reach the NBA finals for the first time since 2010.

An 9-0 run, capped by a three-pointer from Max Strus with 51 seconds left, got the Heat within 98-96. Boston forced the Heat into nine consecutive misses during a crucial stretch of the fourth quarter, using that run to turn an 82-79 lead into a 90-79 edge – and the Celtics, who had lost each of their last four trips to the East finals, found a way to hold on. Bam Adebayo added 25 for the Heat, who were down 11 with under three minutes to go before trying one last rally.

Boston appeared to be headed for the lottery at the start of the season, but now have a date with the Warriors in the championship.

But I think you just trust in yourself, trust in the work that you put in to get to this point and continue to work, and it can’t rain forever. I knew that coming in today and the group knew that.” Awaiting Boston is Golden State, and this is a matchup the Celtics can win. Tatum was a rookie when the Celtics made the conference finals in 2018, overcoming season-ending injuries to Gordon Hayward and Irving to push LeBron James and the Cavaliers to seven games before bowing out. “I came in with the mindset today that I was willing to do anything it took to win this game, however that looked,” Tatum said. Back then, Tatum believed a trip to the Finals was inevitable. “They allowed us to fix it and work it out.” The man that who spent years coaching under Gregg Popovich seemed to think he was him. “He kind of puts it on you to let you know that, hey, I’m not taking no slack. That’s right: The Celtics are headed to the NBA Finals. From the podium, Smart allowed it all to soak in. But whether it was the 48 minutes he played, the balky knee that has troubled him or the leprechaun that has seemingly attached itself to these Celtics since midseason, Butler’s shot came up short. For three quarters the Celtics had fended off a relentless, never-ending Heat charge, battling as a 15-point first quarter lead was whittled to six at the end of the second, and as a 12-point edge with 3 ½ minutes to play was sliced to two.

Jayson Tatum has registered 26 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to help the Boston Celtics notch a...

The visitors sprinted out of the gates with leads of 12-3 and 24-9. Jimmy Butler recorded 35 points and nine rebounds to lead the Heat at home, but missed a three-point attempt with 16.6 seconds left that would have given Miami the lead. The Celtics pushed the lead to 72-58 with 6:46 left in the third before Miami cut down the deficit and trailed 82-75 entering the final stanza.

The Celtics did not take the easy route to the NBA Finals during a season that was heaped with adversity. And in the end, they even made things excessively ...

And before there was the nerve-tightening close to Game 7 in Miami, there was a chance to win the series at home in Game 6. A blowout Celtics win would not have fit the team’s identity, not after the wild swings that have defined Boston’s season, its first under Udoka. When Butler rose up for a transition 3-point attempt with 16 seconds to play and Miami down by two points, there was plenty of reason for Celtics backers to get a collective lump in the throat. That fourth-quarter lead was one the Celtics might have lost a few months ago, one they did blow against Milwaukee in Game 5. That forced the Celtics to win both Games 6 and 7 to advance. By the end of January, the team had climbed back to .500 and followed that with a stretch in which they were 26-6, so often blowing out opponents that the fourth quarter did not much matter. There was the 19-point lead with just over three minutes to play in the third quarter against Cleveland two weeks later, which the Celtics turned into a two-point loss.

Though they started strong and led by 15 after the first quarter, the Celtics couldn't shake the Heat until the final seconds of the game.

And they face the rested Golden State Warriors, who last appeared in the finals in 2019. Game 7 came down to the wire between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat on Sunday — but Boston ultimately prevailed. Boston now heads to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.

That's especially true for Robert Williams, who's dealing with left knee soreness and swelling that limits him movement-wise. After Sunday's victory, Ime Udoka ...

I've got the quad injury, I have the foot injury, and then I have the ankle injury. He understands we're not asking him to be the all-world second team defensive stopper." With no travel necessary before Game 4, it takes place Friday night. "It's not going to be the same long rotations as his average minutes from the year, but what he gives us out there is invaluable. Provided there isn't a sweep, any of the remaining three games that happen will come on the heels of three-day breaks as the Finals goes from San Francisco for Game 5 to Boston for six and back to the Bay for Game 7, if it's necessary. Now, he gets some rest, some much needed rest."

The Warriors lost a key free agent (Kevin Durant). They absorbed overlapping injuries to their three remaining stars (Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond ...

The team has leaned on its championship-tested players (Curry, Thompson, Green, Looney), as well as newcomers Wiggins and Poole. Now, the Warriors have a chance to become the third team to win at least four NBA titles since 2000, joining the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. Since then, the Warriors have become encouraged by Thompson’s steady progress and believe he will return to full form next season. Though he stayed on the floor to make two free throws to give the Warriors a five-point lead, Thompson left with 2:22 left in the third quarter. Seven months after landing Russell in the Durant deal, the Warriors flipped that acquisition into a bigger asset. The Warriors used the No. 28 pick in that summer’s Draft on Jordan Poole, a combo guard from the University of Michigan. While leaning on his confidence and aggressiveness to become a dependable scorer, Poole embraced the Warriors’ tough-love approach so he could improve his playmaking and defense. The Warriors showed more loyalty to their All-Stars by inking Draymond Green to a four-year, $100 million max extension, a deal that keeps him under contract through the 2023-24 season. Stephen Curry agreed to a four-year, $215.4 million extension that will keep him under contract through the 2025-26 season. Though they ended the 2020-21 season with two losses in the NBA’s Play-In Tournament, the Warriors believed there were better days ahead. And despite Thompson’s season-ending injury, the Warriors fulfilled their promise to re-sign him, giving him a max deal worth $190 million over five seasons. The Warriors have since returned to a more familiar setting. The Warriors still took Game 5 to close the series deficit to 3-2, but without the two-time Finals MVP, Golden State would fall short in Game 6, giving the Raptors their first NBA championship. Those factors all contributed to seasons ending in the NBA Draft lottery (2019-20) and the Play-In Tournament (2020-21).

Former Philadelphia 76ers assistant coaches are finding a lot of success in the NBA as of late. It might be a tough pill to swallow for the Sixers ...

After making it out of the first round, the Sixers lost to the Boston Celtics in round two. While the Sixers considered Udoka to replace Brown, he was far-behind several candidates and eventually took an assistant job in Brooklyn before becoming the coach of the Celtics. Former Philadelphia 76ers assistant coaches are finding a lot of success in the NBA as of late.

The NBA Finals begin Thursday on ABC. What are the biggest keys to Warriors-Celtics?

The Warriors had a combined 32 assists in those games, a slight uptick over what they averaged per game the previous round against the New Orleans Pelicans (30.8). Those traits were on full display during Golden State's closeout win over Dallas, which switched 63% of the Warriors' on-ball screens in Game 5 per Second Spectrum -- the most of any Warriors playoff game. Golden State, meanwhile, hasn't had to play in a Game 7 this postseason and dispatched the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Think of how the Houston Rockets grounded Golden State's offense down at times in the 2018 conference finals, holding them below 95 points in back-to-back wins in Games 4 and 5. This Celtics roster enters the Finals with zero games of Finals experience, while Golden State has 123. None of the Warriors' three West opponents (Denver, Memphis or Dallas) were in the top half of the league in frequency of switching on-ball screens during the regular season, per Second Spectrum tracking. Boston followed that up with seven-game thrillers in the conference semifinals and conference finals. The Warriors know that with their style of play -- fast-paced with lots of ball movement -- turnovers are bound to happen. If the Warriors cut down on their turnovers, they will be far more difficult to beat. Golden State is averaging 14.8 turnovers per game in the playoffs (fifth worst of the 16 postseason teams) for 15.9 points. But unlike their dynastic run that spanned from 2014 to 2019, this trip to the Finals wasn't a given. The Golden State Warriors, led by three-time champions Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, are making their sixth Finals appearance in the past eight seasons.

MIAMI (AP) — The game was over. So, finally, was Al Horford's journey. He grabbed what would be the final rebound of the Eastern Conference finals, ...

The Warriors have home-court advantage over the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals. Here's what history says about the importance of Finals home court.

How often does the home team win Game 7 in the NBA Finals? How often does the home team win Game 1 in the NBA Finals? The team that hosts Game 1 also hosts Games 2, 5 and 7. The team that begins the series on the road hosts Games 3, 4 and 6. How often does the team with home-court advantage win the NBA Finals? In most cases, the team with the higher seed also has the better record.

The Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors will begin playing the 2022 NBA Finals on Thursday night in San Francisco and here is what we should expect to ...

These two players for Golden State may not put up the dazzling numbers that Curry, Poole and Thompson do, but they are extremely important to the success of this team. Rebounding is going to be a huge factor in this series between the Celtics and Warriors, especially since the Warriors have been a terrific rebounding team given their lack of size. Neither of these guys can get going if you are the Warriors and with the success Andrew Wiggins had against Luka Doncic in the previous series, he will once again be the Warriors’ No. 1 guy when it comes to defense on the perimeter. Overall, the Celtics are a really strong rebounding team on both ends of the floor. Being able to guard multiple positions, as well as be a factor aiding the Warriors in rebounding, Wiggins has been the picture-perfect wing in an offense led by guards like Curry, Thompson and Poole. In Game 2 against Dallas, Kevon Looney had a career-high 21 points and 12 rebounds. The Golden State Warriors started the year off hot and they are ending it hot, as the Warriors have won 17 of their last 21 games dating back to the regular season. Not only has Tatum averaged 27.0 points per game on 44.6% shooting from the floor in these playoffs, but he has recorded 11 games with at least 27 points. As for Kevon Looney, his importance checks off multiple boxes. Well, here we are about to enter June and begin the 2022 NBA Finals with none of these teams playing for a championship! He proved to be key against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals and he will very likely prove to be key once again for the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Given all of the injuries they have had to deal with through the years and the adversity they faced the last two seasons missing the playoffs, Golden State is looking to send a clear message that they are still the team to beat in the NBA.

The Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors play in the best-of-7 NBA Finals beginning June 2.

Game 2: Sunday, June 5: Boston at Golden State, 8 ET Game 1: Thursday, June 2: Boston at Golden State, 9 ET The Warriors dispatched the Dallas Mavericks in five games to win the Western Conference title, securing their sixth trip to the NBA title series in eight years.

Though they started strong and led by 15 after the first quarter, the Celtics couldn't shake the Heat until the final seconds of the game.

And they face the rested Golden State Warriors, who last appeared in the finals in 2019. Game 7 came down to the wire between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat on Sunday — but Boston ultimately prevailed. Boston now heads to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.

The NBA Finals begin Thursday on ABC. What are the biggest keys to Warriors-Celtics?

The Warriors had a combined 32 assists in those games, a slight uptick over what they averaged per game the previous round against the New Orleans Pelicans (30.8). Those traits were on full display during Golden State's closeout win over Dallas, which switched 63% of the Warriors' on-ball screens in Game 5 per Second Spectrum -- the most of any Warriors playoff game. Golden State, meanwhile, hasn't had to play in a Game 7 this postseason and dispatched the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Think of how the Houston Rockets grounded Golden State's offense down at times in the 2018 conference finals, holding them below 95 points in back-to-back wins in Games 4 and 5. This Celtics roster enters the Finals with zero games of Finals experience, while Golden State has 123. None of the Warriors' three West opponents (Denver, Memphis or Dallas) were in the top half of the league in frequency of switching on-ball screens during the regular season, per Second Spectrum tracking. Boston followed that up with seven-game thrillers in the conference semifinals and conference finals. The Warriors know that with their style of play -- fast-paced with lots of ball movement -- turnovers are bound to happen. If the Warriors cut down on their turnovers, they will be far more difficult to beat. Golden State is averaging 14.8 turnovers per game in the playoffs (fifth worst of the 16 postseason teams) for 15.9 points. But unlike their dynastic run that spanned from 2014 to 2019, this trip to the Finals wasn't a given. The Golden State Warriors, led by three-time champions Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, are making their sixth Finals appearance in the past eight seasons.

The NBA Finals begin Thursday on ABC. What are the biggest keys to Warriors-Celtics?

The Warriors had a combined 32 assists in those games, a slight uptick over what they averaged per game the previous round against the New Orleans Pelicans (30.8). Those traits were on full display during Golden State's closeout win over Dallas, which switched 63% of the Warriors' on-ball screens in Game 5 per Second Spectrum -- the most of any Warriors playoff game. Golden State, meanwhile, hasn't had to play in a Game 7 this postseason and dispatched the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Think of how the Houston Rockets grounded Golden State's offense down at times in the 2018 conference finals, holding them below 95 points in back-to-back wins in Games 4 and 5. This Celtics roster enters the Finals with zero games of Finals experience, while Golden State has 123. None of the Warriors' three West opponents (Denver, Memphis or Dallas) were in the top half of the league in frequency of switching on-ball screens during the regular season, per Second Spectrum tracking. Boston followed that up with seven-game thrillers in the conference semifinals and conference finals. The Warriors know that with their style of play -- fast-paced with lots of ball movement -- turnovers are bound to happen. If the Warriors cut down on their turnovers, they will be far more difficult to beat. Golden State is averaging 14.8 turnovers per game in the playoffs (fifth worst of the 16 postseason teams) for 15.9 points. But unlike their dynastic run that spanned from 2014 to 2019, this trip to the Finals wasn't a given. The Golden State Warriors, led by three-time champions Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, are making their sixth Finals appearance in the past eight seasons.

This means that a bet of $155 on Golden State would net a profit of $100. Boston is currently a plus-135 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on the Celtics would net a ...

The Warriors and Celtics split the season series one game apiece. - The current series line is Warriors -1.5 games, meaning if you bet that line, you'd need Golden State to win in six or fewer games. In addition, Caesars has offered lines on each possible exact outcome of the series.

The stage is finally set for the 2022 NBA Finals. Will the revamped Warriors build on an already impressive modern legacy? Or will the Celtics start an era ...

As long as the Celtics can get ahead early, they find a way to win — they never once trailed in Game 7 against Miami. The Warriors have home-court advantage. We’re betting Iguodala comes in and makes a big play when it matters most, as he’s done so many times before. They find a way to score on this remarkable Celtics defence. Still, Boston's able to have multiple high-scoring players — Brown and Smart both dropped 24 points in the Game 7 win over Miami on top of Tatum's 26. Though Smart had to come to his own defence by saying “I’m not a dirty player” after injuring Curry’s ankle, there’s no doubt he’s bringing the same aggressive energy to this Finals matchup. Something tells us that number will fall somewhere in between, but who's it likely to favour? Thompson found his groove down the stretch, culminating in a 32-point performance in Game 5. This doesn’t feel like their last chance at a title, they could be even stronger next season. All key players, except Looney (UFA), are signed for next season, where the team will have this whole playoff run behind them and a full campaign ahead to gel, instead of having to quickly find chemistry like this year. The Warriors are back. Off the bench?

A blockbuster match-up between the dynasty Golden State Warriors and the upstart Boston Celtics has the making of a hardwood classic. Here's what you need ...

After building a core around the young talents of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, they narrowly missed out on a finals appearance two years ago, and since then, they have had varying levels of success without ever threatening to make it over the hump. But, the most intriguing thing about this finals—as opposed to the last two which didn’t seem to really tie into the overarching story of the league over the past 10 years—is what is at stake for the players, coaches and teams involved. At 24 years old, the young forward has made his case as one of the players set to lead the league into the future. In the team’s three recent championship wins, he hasn’t even been the best player on his team—Andre Igoudala won the Finals MVP the first time, and Kevin Durant took it home the other two. After a promising, yet ultimately, disappointing NBA playoffs, we’ve finally arrived at the NBA Finals—and if the hype is to be believed, it could be one for the ages. The Celtics, on the other hand, are tough, young and solid; capable of withstanding punch after punch, and still coming back when it matters most.