Top NBA Picks and Predictions for Celtics-Warriors in Game 5 of NBA Finals (Roundtable)
Pivotal Game 5.
That’s the cliche term that will be thrown around in the NBA Finals on Monday night, but it holds true.
With the series tied at two games apiece between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors, the BetSided team has their top picks for Game 5 on the spread or total:
Let’s jump into the picks, with odds via WynnBET:
NBA Expert Picks for Warriors-Celtics in Game 5 of NBA Finals
- UNDER 211 (-108)
- Celtics +3.5 (-110)
Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors: UNDER 211 (-108)
To emphatically state that Steph Curry "has to slow down" at some point of the NBA Finals is the betting equivalent of trying to make "fetch happen."
However, can the Celtics better contain Curry in the series? Absolutely. And frankly, there's not much more they have to do but expect some regression at some point.
Via StatMuse, Steph Curry's effective field goal percentage on tightly contested shots vs. Boston's defense is 85.6%! Insanity! For context, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jimmy Butler had an effective field goal percentage of 43.4, 47.1, and 51.1% respectively. The number must come down.
Shooting efficiency on tightly contested shots vs the Celtics defense:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 12, 2022
43.4 eFG% — KD
47.1 eFG% — Giannis
51.1 eFG% — Jimmy
85.6 eFG% — Steph pic.twitter.com/IPAOPeQm13
I lean Boston to cover at +3.5, but the Warriors have also only lost one game at home all playoffs long. A play on the total feels like the safer one, especially with more attention paid to Curry. -- Ben Heisler
Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors: Celtics +3.5 (-110)
I won’t fade this Celtics after a loss, as they are a perfect 7-0 straight up and against the spread this postseason.
After a loss in this year's playoffs, @celtics against the spread:
— John Ewing 🦁 (@johnewing) June 13, 2022
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
C's 7-0 ATS, covering by 14 ppg.
Celtics +3.5 at Warriors.
The Warriors may win this game at home, but I think it will be close regardless, especially after how tight Game 4 was in Boston. The Celtics have beaten themselves with turnovers in this series, so if they take care of the ball, they should be in this game.
The Warriors have needed huge games from Steph Curry to stay in games, so if he doesn’t score 30-plus, I think Boston may steal another road game.
Grabbing Boston to keep this game within a possession seems like the smart play here, especially since they could win this straight up. – Peter Dewey