The Boston Celtics look to even the NBA Finals when they host the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 on Thursday. The Celtics made a furious comeback in the third quarter but it ultimately fell short and the Warriors prevailed 104-94 on Monday.
Projected Starting Lineups and Roster
Boston Celtics
*Notates expected starter
C: Robert Williams III*, Daniel Theis
PF: Al Horford*, Grant Williams, Luke Kornet
SF: Jayson Tatum*, Aaron Nesmith, Sam Hauser
SG: Jaylen Brown*, Payton Pritchard, Nik Stauskas
PG: Marcus Smart*, Derrick White
Golden State Warriors
*Notates expected starter
C: Kevon Looney*, Jonathan Kuminga
PF: Draymond Green*, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Andre Iguodala
SF: Andrew Wiggins*, Otto Porter Jr., Nemanja Bjelica
SG: Klay Thompson*, Jordan Poole, Damion Lee
PG: Stephen Curry*, Gary Payton II, Moses Moody
DafaNews Picks
Team to Win (Regular Time)
• Golden State Warriors 2.33
• Boston Celtics 1.66
Spread
• Golden State Warriors +3.5 (1.89)
• Boston Celtics -3.5 (1.91)
Total
• Over 210.5 (1.90)
• Under 210.5 (1.90)
Betting Trends
The Warriors are:
• 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall
• 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600
• 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games against a team with a winning straight up record
• 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game
• 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog
The Under is:
• 13-3 in Golden State’s last 16 games against a team with a winning straight up record
• 5-2 in Golden State’s last seven games as an underdog
• 7-3 in the last 10 meetings in Boston
• 19-7 in the last 26 meetings
Projected Leaders
For the Warriors, Stephen Curry is projected to finish with 26.4 points, 8.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds, making 8.3 field goals in 19.9 attempts.
For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum is expected to score 28.4 points with 8.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists, making 8.7 field goals in 20.6 attempts.
Keys to Game 5
The Celtics committed 18 turnovers in Game 5, pushing them to the brink of elimination. Jayson Tatum summed it up best: “We’re hard to beat when we don’t turn the ball over. And, clearly, we’re easy to beat when we do turn the ball over.”
Things need to change if the Celtics want to force a Game 7. As Al Horford explained: “Our backs are against the wall. This is the time we look each other in the eye and figure it out… There’s no tomorrow.”
I strongly feel that the Warriors needed the victory on Monday in order to win this series. The Celtics are the better team, but because of Stephen Curry’s explosive scoring assault the Warriors stole Game 5. Momentum now has fully swung. Jayson Tatum has to empty the clip on Thursday. It has to be a Kobe type beat only.
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are one of the most natural and lethal pairings in league history. Swarm Steph, leave Klay… he needs a second, they’re giving him three. Teams have had to pick their poison for years and that’s what happened on Monday.
The Celtics tried to make the others beat them, but the game is about a bucket. If the Celtics ain’t getting em, none of that matters. You can’t live by 3-pointers always and turn the ball over so many times.
The X-Factor will be Andrew Wiggins. He is elite in his role, an aggressive finisher and slasher who can shoot from midrange, hit open 3-pointers and defend the other team’s best guy.
Jordan Poole and Wiggins bring a burst of athleticism, energy and scoring outside of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. TALENT wise, Wiggins is on a similar level as guys like Jayson Tatum and Brandon Ingram. You have to comprehend skill, aggression, slashing ability and shot creation. Andrew Wiggins has it all but this league is about situations. The eye test never fails!
Like I said, the NBA is all about situations, most narratives are just fluff. Laid back doesn’t mean “no heart.” Anyone who hits 24 points per game at 21 years old is nice. The environment impacts effort. The eye test = ability = potential impact. Look for Wiggins to be a difference-maker again and keep the Warriors in Game 6.
Analyst’s Picks
Warriors +3.5 (1.89) and Under 210.5 (1.90)
Two-star (out of four) AccuScore hot trend picks on the Warriors and the total in this one. Average score in simulations is Golden State Warriors 103.7 to Boston Celtics 103.2.
Make sure to check all other MLB, NFL, NCAA, NHL, NBA and soccer game predictions from AccuScore and Dafanews.com
