After defeating the Miami Heat in a Game Seven road victory, the Boston Celtics have reached their first Finals since 2010. The Celtics vs Warriors matchup has been flirting for years but the Celtics could never get over the hump. The core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart have finally defeated their playoff demons in the ultimate revenge tour and finally get their shot at the Dubs. Smart told JJ Redick that in 2018 if they defeated the Cavaliers in Game Seven, they would have also defeated Golden State. Let’s look at the keys for Boston to make Smart’s 2018 hypothetical become a reality in 2022.
The Stars Show Up
This should be an obvious one, but it is not guaranteed. Brown and Tatum have each laid at least one egg in their last two series against the Bucks and Heat. Jayson Tatum had only 10 points in Game Three of each series. While his teammates can pick up the slack against teams lacking star power, the Warriors can quickly counter if Tatum is off his game. Brown had two games with only 12 points in each of the previous series. To keep up with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole, Brown and Tatum must entrust themselves by staying aggressive.
By doing this, they cannot settle for those contested mid-range fadeaway jumpers and iso three-pointers. Putting the ball on the deck and getting to the rim drawing fouls should be their recipe for scoring. This will slow the game down against a team in the Warriors that do a great job at controlling the pace of the game.
Derrick White: X-Factor
Golden State is known for having the stars run “the death lineup” or the team’s best five players. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green at the center could cause issues for the Celtics when running with Robert Williams and Al Horford on the court. Derrick White will be crucial in these minutes against the Warriors’ small-ball lineups. His presence was felt against Miami. Derrick White could be huge on offense by staying aggressive and being the lead charge going to the rim while providing great defense on anyone in that small lineup. Celtics vs Warriors when the spacing gets crazy could be some series-defying minutes. White will need to step up once again.
Smart vs Green
The two biggest examples of “hate to play them, would love to have them.” Draymond Green and Marcus Smart are the first to hit the decks on loose balls. They direct their offenses and do the things that don’t show in the stat sheet. If Marcus Smart can out-hustle Draymond Green, make a few more plays, and hit some timely shots, the Celtics’ chances go up. This is the marquee matchup outside of the Jays vs the Splash Brothers. Two Defensive Players of the Year and two of the grittiest guys in basketball. It’ll be a spectacle.
Finals Prediction: Celtics in Seven. Finals Most Valuable Player: Jayson Tatum.
Follow me on Twitter for more sports news and analysis! Also, tune into the Sideline Summit podcast on all platforms and follow us on all platforms for sports news and analysis. Be sure to check out some other Belly Up Articles here.
