Adam Dawson's 2022 NBA Finals Preview: Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors

Introduction: Welcome back, as I hope you all are doing well. For my next post, I have decided to give my thoughts and predictions for the upcoming NBA Finals that tips-off on Thursday June, 2nd. Anything from each team's key players to a Season Summary, and Adam's Finals Predictions will be included. Doing these types of previews whether it be for the Super Bowl, World Series, or in this case, the Finals, are always one of my favorite posts to write up. With that being said, as always, let's roll!

Before I begin, I would like to get this next statement out of the way. The Boston Celtics are my favorite NBA team, as I was overjoyed when they advanced on Sunday night against the Miami Heat in an exciting seven game series. Memories of the 2010 team came back to me, as players like Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and my favorite player growing up, Kevin Garnett made it to the finals that year, but they ended up losing to the late Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, and the Los Angeles Lakers that year in seven games.

2010 was 12 years ago, meaning I hardly remember even watching the series. Luckily, I will not forget the upcoming Finals, as I am just happy the Celtics made it back after more than a decade. After two or three seasons of coming up short in the Eastern Conference Finals, Boston cleared a big hurdle this season.

Fast-forward more than a decade later, young studs such as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown now lead the team, as they have really gotten me back into watching Celtics games more consistently over the last few seasons. Below, I have included a photo of a nine year-old Adam in his Kevin Garnett jersey.

Boston Celtics:

The Celtics Celebrate Their Game 7 Victory vs. Miami.

2022 Record: 51-31

2022 Season Summary:

The Celtics began the season rather slow as they were 21-22 through January 14th. After that point though, they began to string wins together as their defensive effort really started to show. Led by DPOY (Defensive Player of the Year) Marcus Smart, Boston ended as the number two defensive team in the league by season's end. Although Smart came home with the hardware, each player of Boston's starting five earned at least one vote for the award.

New head coach, Ime Udoka has been more than great in his first season at the helm, as previous head coach, Brad Stevens now works in Boston's front office.

Of course, the majority of the offense flowed through Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as both averaged well over 20 PPG. Aside from these two, role players such as Grant Williams, Robert Williams III, Payton Prichard, Al Horford and Derrick White who came over from San Antonio at the trade deadline have each provided sparks and have played their individual roles extremely well.

Entering the playoffs as the number two seed in the Eastern Conference, Boston drew the Nets in the first round. Having to go up against Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving I thought would present a challenge, but instead Boston swept them in four games as their defense really stood out during the series.

Kevin Durant for the most part did not look like himself in the four games as Tatum was able to keep him somewhat contained during the four-game set. Kyrie Irving was not that much better, as he also struggled in games two and three, never shooting above 35 percent from the field. Once you can take those two out of the equation, the Nets are pretty much beat, as Brooklyn's young players such as Bruce Brown and Nic Claxton simply could not keep up with Boston. All the while, Ben Simmons was on the bench in street clothes getting booed because of the drama that has swirled around him this season, as it was more like some kind of soap opera to say the least.

The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks were the Celtics next opponent in round two after their four-game sweep of the Nets. As a result, the Celtics defense was able to keep that same energy, limiting the high-powered Bucks offense to less than 100 points in three out of the seven games. Although, it should be mentioned that Milwaukee did not have sharpshooter and second-leading scorer Khris Middleton at all during the Eastern Conference Semifinals, as he was out due to a knee injury.

With Middleton out for the entirety of the series, the majority of the offensive load was put on the broad shoulders of Giannis Antetokounmpo or "The Greek Freak" as he is often called. Sure, the two-time MVP had some success as he was able to put together a trio of 40 plus scoring performances, but it simply was not enough.

Aside from Giannis, Jrue Holiday and Bobby Portis were the only other consistent contributors, as Portis had three double-doubles in the series. Meanwhile, Holiday, the veteran guard

The final test for the Celtics were the Miami Heat in the Eastern Finals. Miami was coming off of a six-game series victory against Joel Embild, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and the Philadelphia 76ers. Not having a healthy Sixth Man of the Year Award winner Tyler Herro for the latter half of the series proved to be vital, as Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo had to put Miami on their back. One thing though I will say is that Jimmy Butler really impressed me during the series, as it seemed he was a one-man wrecking crew at times. Whether it be draining a three or hitting a tough fadeaway, Butler looked great for most of the series. Although at times he struggled, particularly in games four and five in which he either struggled from the field, shooting a combined 7-32 from the field.

Key Players: Boston Celtics

Jayson Tatum:

The franchise of the Celtics, the 24 year-old will have to play lights out for Boston to have a chance at winning it all. The St. Louis native enters his first Finals averaging a stellar 27 PPG to go with 6.7 RPG and 5.9 APG in the playoffs. The do-it-all superstar has been a force for Boston all season long, turning him into one of the best players in the association. Tatum's son, Deuce, will most likely be watching courtside cheering on his Dad all series long.

Jaylen Brown:

Tatum's sidekick and partner in crime, Brown has an insane vertical, resulting in some amazing jams at the rim. Averaging 22.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 3.5 APG so far in the playoffs, the Cal product will have to play just as well, if not better than Tatum to fend off the splash brothers and co.

Marcus Smart:

The heart of the Celtics, Smart is the player who I believe is the most important on the team. His defensive skillset is one of the best in league, as he is willing to put his body on the line even if it means diving on the floor for a loose ball, as I feel like he has a bit of an old-school mentality. His defensive rating and effort alone this season has been exceptional, as he is the first guard since Gary Payton in 1996 to win the DPOY. Aside from his defensive ability, Smart's three-point percentage is a solid 33.1%, while averaging 12.1 PPG during the regular season. Although not amazing numbers, we all know that Smart more than makes up for his offensive production on the defensive side of the floor. Entering the Finals with an ankle injury, Smart will most likely suit up for Game One, as they will need him on the defensive side of the floor. Obviously, Smart will have to play top-tier defense against Steph Curry, as I am interested to see if he can slow down the best shooter in NBA history.

Al Horford:

Including Horford here only seemed appropriate, as this is his first Finals appearance in his 15 year career. Drafted out of the University of Florida where he won a few National Titles alongside Joakim Noah who played the majority of his career for the Chicago Bulls, Horford is one of the veteran leaders on the team. Anyone who has been watching basketball for the last decade, should know that Horford was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, as he was named a 4-time All-Star while wearing the Hawks jersey

Watching Horford's Dad cheer on his son from the crowd is special to see, as he goes crazy when Big Al hits a clutch three or makes a great play. If nothing else, Horford provides as an experienced veteran who shows great leadership even though he is only averaging around 11 PPG during the playoffs, as what he does goes beyond the box score.

Robert Williams III:

A menace on the defensive side of the floor, Williams is an anchor in the paint, as he does a great job blocking shots and making it hard for opponents to score inside. Nearly averaging a double-double this season with 10 PPG and 9.6 TRB, Williams made the All-Defensive team this year. Missing a few games in the playoffs due to a knee injury, Robert should be good to go in the Finals.

Golden State Warriors:

Golden State has looked dominant this season.

2022 Record: 53-29

2022 Season Summary:

The Golden State Warriors never really lost any momentum during the season, as them, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Phoenix Suns seemed to battle atop the Western Conference all season long. Stephen Curry became the all-time leader in three-pointers made this year while Klay Thompson made his long awaited return to the court in January after battling through multiple injuries during the last two years. Curry suffered a foot injury late in the season, resulting in him missing the last month of the regular season, although they never seemed to slow down during his absence.

As a result, players like rookie Jonathan Kuminga and specifically Jordan Poole stepped up big time this season. The University of Michigan product enjoyed a breakout type of season, as Poole showed he could from three just like Steph and Klay, shooting 36 percent from downtown. Averaging 18.5 PPG and 92.5 percent from the stripe, Poole was also rather effective from the field, shooting almost 45 percent.

Of course Draymond Green continued to play stellar defense, as he put up his usual stat line like every other season, while averaging around 7 PPG, 7 RPG, and 7 APG. Finally, Andrew Wiggins received his first All-Star nod in his ninth season, as he has seemed to find a home in the Bay Area.

As a whole, the Warriors finished as the best defensive team in the league, ending with a 106.9 defensive rating. Finishing 8th in the West last season, it seems as if Golden State has regained their championship form as getting their main players back from injury has really made an impact on their success.

Golden State entered the playoffs as the three seed in the Western Conference. In the first round, reigning two-time MVP, Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets were the first opponent for Steve Kerr's Warriors. With Curry coming off the bench for the majority of the series in a sixth man type of role, this allowed the aforementioned Poole to flourish in the starting five as he seemed to take advantage of the opportunity rather quickly.

Scoring 30 points in game one, Poole put the Warriors scoring duties on his back, resulting to a 16 point victory. From then on, it seemed like a domino effect, as Curry scored 34 off the bench in Game 2, looking more like himself. Finishing the Nuggets off in five games sealed the deal for Golden State, as they looked ahead to the Western Semi-Finals and the Memphis Grizzlies.

Ja Morant led the Grizzlies into the second round on a high note, as they were just coming off of an exciting series win against Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and the Timberwolves in round one.

Personally, I felt like Memphis had game one won on their home court, but the Warriors escaped with a one point victory. After the Grizzlies won game two, the Warriors decided to go back to the Bay and give a 30 point beatdown to Memphis in front of their home crowd. Aside from the Grizzlies returning the favor and getting a blowout win in game five, the series I knew was over when Memphis lost Ja Morant to injury for the rest of the series, resulting in a six-game series win for Golden State.

Once again, the Warriors were advancing to yet another West Finals, this time against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Wasting your time would be silly of me here, as I am not going to do so. In a nutshell, Golden State took care of the Mavericks in five games, as Luka could not carry the team all by himself. As a result, Golden State advanced to their sixth finals appearance in the last eight seasons.

Key Players: Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson:

These two have been together since the beginning of their championship run, so I have decided to include them both in the following paragraph.

The Splash Brothers are back in full form after either returning from injury or suffering an injury during the season. Personally, I predict the duo to do what they always do and make a lot of shots. Whether that be from beyond the arc, in the mid-range, or even driving to the paint, these two can shoot the lights out and score from anywhere on the court. The Warriors have the backcourt advantage entering the finals and I do not think it is even close based off of their playoff experience.

Draymond Green:

Green is the Warriors version of Marcus Smart, except in forward form. Without him, I do not think they end the season ranked first in defensive rating, as he tends to do everything well. Although Draymond will not overwhelm you will his points scored, he most likely ends up with one of the most complete stat lines by the end of games. Very impactful on both sides of the floor, look for Green to make a splash any way he can to make sure Golden State comes out with a win. He may even end up with a few technical fouls as well!

Andrew Wiggins:

Wiggins is a solid wing player, as he has found his stride with Golden State. A highly-talented player out of the University of Kansas, Wiggins was an All-Star this season for the first time in his nine-year career.

Below average free throw numbers throughout his career is his weakness, as he struggles from the stripe often, shooting near 63 percent on the season. Nevertheless, Wiggins provides as another option for Golden State to take a bit of the pressure off of Curry and Thompson.

Jordan Poole:

Calling Poole a third splash brother would not be out of the realm. As I mentioned previously, Poole really excelled from the three-point line this season. Whether it be coming off the bench as a sixth man or staring alongside Curry and Thompson like he did in Game 5 of the Western Finals, Poole should make an impact nonetheless.

Adam's Finals Predictions: The playoff experience of the Warriors I think will be too much for Boston to handle. Golden State has a combined 123 games worth of experience in the finals on their roster, compared to Boston's players combining for zero games of prior finals experience. Although I would love for the Celtics to win and bring home their 18th chip, I believe Steph Curry and company will again reign supreme and win yet another title.

Adam's Series Prediction: Golden State defeats Boston, 4-2 in 6 games.

Adam's Finals MVP Prediction: Stephen Curry: Golden State Warriors

Final Thoughts: I hope you all have enjoyed reading my 2022 NBA Finals preview as I really enjoyed putting it together. Obviously I will be cheering for Jayson Tatum and the Celtics to be victorious, but I just do not see it happening.

With Mike Breen (hopefully on the call due to COVID-19), Jeff Van Gundy, and Mark Jackson in the booth, it should be a fun series to be heard called through TV screens across America. More importantly though, we are witnessing history, as this should be a competitive series!

See you on the Hardwood!!!

Adam