Can Vaunted Celtics Defense Hold Off Golden State's Offense?

The 2022 NBA Finals between the Warriors and Celtics has so many storylines for fans and viewers to attach themselves to. There's the “Steph Curry legacy” angle, the “Celtics finally getting over the hump”, or the idea that two homegrown teams are in the Finals in an era of player movement and overnight superteams. 

While all those big picture storylines are exciting, the actual basketball is just as fun. The main battle we’ll be focused on is how the Celtics’ No. 1 ranked defense will stop the most prolific shooting team of the decade. 

According to Shot Quality, this series will be a battle of wills, as each team’s strengths mirror each other.

The key battle here will be shot selection. The Warriors, with the exception of a Game 5 drubbing at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies, have been able to skate through these playoffs. They trade good shots for great shots and keep the offense moving, making it as well-rounded an attack as ever.

On the other side, we’ve seen Boston make Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmo and Jimmy Butler all look human at times this postseason. If the Celtics can do the same to Curry and the Warriors, a banner might be on its way to the TD Garden. 

The Warriors’ offense is built around screens, off-ball movement, and deception to get shots at the rim. Boston is in the top three in points per possession at the rim and field goals off of screens/cuts. 

I expect the Warriors to have some success simply off the greatness of Stephen Curry, but it will be a challenge for the rest of the Warriors to get free – especially with the defensive versatility the Celtics have. 

If you believe that defense wins championships, the Celtics at +127 to win this series is the perfect price for you. 

You can find Donnavan Smoot’s full betting record here.