Follow our live coverage of Game 1 of the NBA Finals
Golden State has been waiting a week since defeating Dallas, and Boston is just days away from winning the 7th game in Miami. Will extra rest help the warriors stay cooler or cause some early oxidation?
BetMGM has Golden State favored 3.5 points over the Celtics in the first game, and all of our experts picked the Warriors to win the opening game of the NBA Finals Thursday night at the Chase Center.
The Warriors are also favored to win the series. How will this confrontation unfold?
What time is Warriors vs Celtics Game 1?
Time: Thursday, 9:00 p.m. (ET)
Channel: ABC (broadcast on ESPN)
During the NBA playoffs, The Athletic screenwriters will make their direct choices. You’ll find election, coverage, and the latest odds here. Our detailed NBA coverage is linked below the election. To get BetMGM live NBA odds, click here.
NBA Finals Calendar
Match 1: Celtics to the Warriors | Thursday, June 2 | 21:00 ET
Game 2: Celtics to the Warriors | Sunday, June 5 | 8 pm ET
Match 3: Warriors to the Celtics | Wednesday, June 8 | 21:00 ET
Game 4: Warriors to the Celtics | Friday, June 10 | 21:00 ET
Game 5 *: Celtics to the Warriors | Monday, June 13 | 21:00 ET
Game 6 *: Warriors at Celtics | Thursday, June 16 | 21:00 ET
Game 7 *: Celtics to the Warriors | Sunday, June 19 | 8 pm ET
What are the odds for Warriors vs. Celtics game 1?
TeamSpreadTotalMoneyline
+140
-3.5
212.5
-165
Warriors vs Celtics game 1 preview
Quite unstoppable, he finds an immovable object. Golden State, at the forefront of the NBA’s high-flying offensive, free-kick, running, and fun offensive lineup, will face the Celtics, a throwback to the tough, elbow-sharp, tough, and tobacco-era era. ‘East. Past lectures. They will decide a title. Let’s get busy.
Except, shhh, here’s a secret: the Warriors are the second-best defensive team in the league this season, just half a point behind Boston in defensive valuation. With Draymond Green, Golden State can close its midfield with the best. And the Celtics were a more efficient offense than Golden State this season. Behind Jayson Tatum, they were more than a point better by rating.
Usually, before the final, we wonder which team will dictate the style most effectively. If a team forces a game into their own hands, they usually win. In this case, do we even know what kind of game each of these teams prefers?
On paper, the Celtics have a sizeable advantage, with a muscular front court full of seemingly wide and tall players. And this kind of equipment traditionally wants to hit the paint. The Warriors, on paper, can shoot the 3, and this type of team usually wants to extend the track and take out the big ones.
But Boston over the past two series has shortened its lineup to a seven-deep rotation, and is already battling the declining return of injuries. The Warriors ran into some trouble when the poorly manned Mavericks found a way to overcome them from the depths. Maybe the paper is worthless.
The story goes that the Warriors, winners of three titles since 2015, have an advantage over the growing Celtics. They have reached the final in six of the last eight seasons for a reason. But the Celtics are not bad. They have hardened on a more difficult path through the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Golden State has an advantage. But something we can’t see yet: a twist of fate, a little science outside the realm of science, will decide this series.
Warriors vs Celtics expert picks and predictions for match 1
Writer Direct selection
Andrew Bad
Jason Jones
Richard Deitsch
Michael Beller
Dave DuFour
James Edwards III
O Moyal
Sam Vecenie
Cole Huff
Mike Vorkunov
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(Photo by Jordan Poole: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)