Ime Udoka says that he’d like to use Time Lord for twenty minutes tonight but can go longer if need be. Williams didn’t look great in Game 7 in Miami, but four days off should help his mobility heading into Game 1 of The Finals.
Steve Kerr says that Gary Payton II, Andre Iguodala, and Otto Porter Jr. will all be available, but was vague on whether they’d play today.
— Bill Sy
Banner 17 in gold on the neck line with the gold Finals logo is giving me chills.
KG picks Celtics in Game 1. I looked it up. Garnett was 8-6 in Game 1’s when he was in Boston.
— Bill Sy
In the regular season, the Smart-Brown-Tatum-Horford-Williams starting lineup finished with a 24.6 net rating (118.8 offensive, 94.2 defense). In the playoffs, they’ve been a -9.9 (95.9 offensive, 105.8 defensive). Some of that is injuries, but it’s been a marked drop off from the first 82.
The Warriors are going with their normal starters of Curry, Thompson, Wiggins, Green, and Looney.
— Bill Sy
Boston’s 22nd iteration of a Finals Starting 5.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23604962/Screen_Shot_2022_06_03_at_10.04.19_am.png)
The NBA. It’s fantastic.
— Bill Sy
There hasn’t been a Game 1 like tonight’s, not just because it’s the Finals, but there’s just so much unknown. Against Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and Miami, you kinda knew how the Celtics would approach defending Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Butler & Bam. With how versatile and unconventional the Warriors play, there are just so many ways to defend them. That’s the big question heading into this first quarter.
— Bill Sy
Underdog narrative engaged.
I’m excited for Mark Jones to get the call up while Mike Breen recovers from COVID-19. Jones has called quite a few Celtics games this season with partner, Doris Burke.
— Simon Pollock
That lineup has never lost a playoff series – right, Doc?
Entire ESPN panel picking the Warriors? Sounds like the perfect recipe for Boston!
Who did The Finals national anthem better: Neil Schon or Carlos Santana?(There is a right answer, and it’s Santana.)
— Simon Pollock
Santana FTW
CANNOT let Looney dominate the offensive glass. Giving the Splash Bros multiple looks is a recipe for disaster.
Fifteen of the first twenty-five shots between both teams are threes. It seems unlikely that the Celtics will have a chance to win this game let alone the series with those numbers. Boston has gone under screens and lost guys in transition. Expect Ime Udoka to go small after the timeout to cut out those open shots.
— Bill Sy
