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The Warriors, who are playing in their sixth Finals in eight
years and who have won three titles over that span, have home
court advantage and will be the more rested team after finishing
off the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the previous round.
The "Dubs" could also be at full strength for Game One on
Thursday. Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., and Andre Iguodala
were full participants in practice on Tuesday after they all
missed time with injuries this postseason.
But the team's success will ultimately hinge on the performance
of the sharpshooting "Splash Brothers" duo of Stephen Curry and
Klay Thompson.
Curry has been outstanding during the first three rounds of the
playoffs and Thompson, who missed two full seasons with leg
injuries, is finding his three-point stroke at just the right
time.
Thompson dropped a game-high 32 points to close out the
Mavericks in an ominous sign for the Celtics.
The Jayson Tatum-led Celtics boasted the top-rated defense in
the league this season and will have a big size advantage over
the Warriors.
Defensive Player of the Year guard Marcus Smart and towering
center Robert Williams will look to disrupt the Warriors
pass-heavy offense every trip down the floor.
Warriors forward and defensive anchor Draymond Green said what
is unique about the Celtics is the ability of Smart and Williams
to cover for any lapses in coverage by their teammates.
"Robert Williams erases mistakes at the rim... and Marcus Smart
covers up mistakes beneath the rim," Green said.
"That makes for a great defense."
But ultimately the tandem of Tatum and Jaylen Brown will need to
outduel Curry and Thompson if the Celtics want to hang
championship banner No. 18 at TD Garden.
Despite the franchise's storied history in the league, nobody on
this Celtics team has ever played in the Finals. But that
inexperience does not worry Boston head coach Ime Udoka.
"I don't think any of our guys are awed or intimidated by the
moment at all," Udoka said on Tuesday.
"We understand what it is. We know the opponent in front of us,
and for us as always it's been business as usual, going on the
road, not fazed by that at all."
Game One is Thursday in San Francisco.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Hugh
Lawson)
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