Trent Reinsmith
The 2022 NBA Finals are set. The best-of-seven features the Golden State Warriors as the NBA Western Conference representatives. From the NBA’s Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics play for the title. Game 1 of the series takes place on June 2 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California.
Golden State were the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. After a blistering hot start to the NBA season, the Warriors were an up-and-down club. They finished the regular season with a record of 53-29. That record put them behind the Memphis Grizzlies and the top team in the NBA, the Phoenix Suns. Golden State made its way to the 2022 NBA Finals with series wins over the Denver Nuggets (4-1), Grizzlies (4-2) and the Dallas Mavericks (4-1). The Warriors have been resting since they wrapped up the Western Conference Finals on May 26 at home.
The Boston Celtics finished the 2022 regular season with a record of 51-31. That finish put them behind only the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference standings. Boston’s road to the 2022 NBA Championship Finals started with a four-game sweep of the Brooklyn Nets. The Celtics then defeated the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks in a seven-game series. Boston then dismissed the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals in seven. Boston wrapped up its series against the Heat on May 29 with a 100-96 win in Miami.
This year marks the Warriors’ first trip to the Finals since they lost to the Toronto Raptors in 2019. The Celtics ended a drought of 12 years. The last time Boston made it to the Finals was 2010 when they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Before we look at 2022 NBA Finals Picks, odds and predictions, check out our guide for betting on the 2022 NBA Finals and our tips for betting on the NBA.
2022 NBA Finals picks
| To Win the 2022 NBA Finals |  |  |  |  |  |
| Bostn Celtics | +130 | +137 | +135 | +130 | +135 |
| Golden State Warriors | -150 | -157 | -165 | -150 | -165 |
Boston Celtics breakdown and analysis
The Boston Celtics have had little rest during the 2022 NBA playoffs. Sure, they blew through the Brooklyn Nets in four games, but since then, the team has participated in back-to-back seven-game series. The club needs the rest it will get before packing up and traveling to San Francisco for Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals.
The Celtics are not an experienced playoff team and they have come close to squandering the leads they have gained in some games — including their Game 7 win over Miami where they held a 32-17 lead at the end of the first quarter only to be outscored 79-68 in the three quarters that followed.
Boston does a great job on defense, especially when they switch up their defense during games. In order to beat a team like Golden State, the Celtics need to do everything they can on the defensive side of the ball.
Golden State Warriors breakdown and analysis
The Golden State Warriors have made it to the NBA Finals six times in the past eight seasons. Boston has had similar runs, but the last time the Celtics enjoyed a stretch of trips to the NBA Finals was when the team went to the Finals six times between 1981 and 1987. That type of experience gives the Warriors an enormous advantage over the Celtics, especially since the core of the team, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr, have all been part of those teams.
Health is always a concern for the Warriors. The team has rarely played with its roster fully healthy. However, there is good news on that front for Golden State, as Gary Payton II, who has not played for the team since the second round, is expected to be available for The Finals.
Another concern for the Warriors is their rate of turnovers. In the games Golden State lost in the playoffs, the team has averaged 16.3 turnovers per outing. Some of that has to do with the fast-paced ball movement style the Warriors employ, but the team needs to be better at hanging on to the ball.
Our pick
The Golden State Warriors are experienced and rested and those two things are going to play a huge role in the 2022 NBA Finals.
Pick: The Golden State Warriors to beat the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals Series.
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