Matt Bush, FISM News
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The Boston Celtics took down the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday night to set up a much-anticipated NBA Finals matchup with the Golden State Warriors.
Series MVP Jayson Tatum led his team to the championship series, dropping a team high 26 points in the winner-take-all game. The victory gave the Celics their first Finals appearance since 2010.
Any time a playoff series, especially a conference final, goes to seven games, the assumption is that it was a great series. This series, however, proved that assumption wrong, as all but game 7 were decided before the final minute of the game. The average margin of victory for the first six games was 14 points, with the teams exchanging blowout wins. Game 7 had the series lone moment of intrigue when Jimmy Butler missed a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left that would have given the Heat the lead.
While the Celtics-Heat matchup provided little in the way of captivating action, the Warriors-Mavericks series was even worse. Golden State won the Western Conference Finals in five games, and the series was never in question. Dallas was overmatched on the perimeter, and Kevon Looney was a monster on the glass in the series clincher with 18 rebounds.
The Warriors found their groove heading into the Finals. Klay Thompson appears to have found his stroke from behind the arc, Draymond Green continues to be a workhorse in the paint, Jordan Poole is playing like an All-Star, and Andrew Wiggins is showing the potential that made him the no. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft. With all of the talent, however, the glue that holds the team together is Stephen Curry, the best shooter in the history of the NBA.
The Finals looks to be an exciting matchup between two lineups filled with stars, quality role players, and some of the best shooters in the NBA.
Here are some things to watch for in the series:
- While both teams had top-5 offenses and defenses in the regular season, this series comes down to whether or not the Celtics perimeter defense can stop the best passing and shooting team in the NBA. Will Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart be able to slow down the dynamic offense of the Warriors?
- Which Jayson Tatum will show up? While putting in a tremendous game 7 effort, Tatum faded down the stretch. He has carried the Celtics to this point, but he has yet to show that he can be the franchise player that can lead his team to a championship.
- Will Stephen Curry win another championship, and if he does, where will he rank on the list of all-time greats?
- Is Klay Thompson all the way back from missing two seasons in a row with injuries? So far the answer is still “no,” but he started showing signs that he is almost there against the Mavs and Grizzlies.
- Are the Celtics ready to take the next step? With their sixth finals appearance in eight years, the Warriors have proved the type of team they are. The Celtics have not yet been able to fully realize their potential. Will this be the year they translate potential into success?
On paper the Warriors lineup is just too talented. They have the best player on the court in Curry, the most versatile defender in Green, and their top three shooters are at least as good as anyone on the Celtics roster. Add to that role players like Looney and Wiggins and it seems likely that the Warriors are set to add yet another championship banner to the rafters at Chase Center.
Regardless of what happens, this series should be more fun to watch then either of the conference finals matchups.
The first game of the NBA Finals will tip-off on Thursday at 9:00 p.m. on ABC.