The Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics will meet in Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals on Thursday night, and it will be an intriguing matchup between the NBA's current dynasty and a franchise that has enjoyed a long history of success. The Warriors have certainly had an easier road through the 2022 NBA playoffs, dispatching each of their opponents in six games or fewer, while the Celtics have gone to seven games in their last two series. So will it be the team that is more rested or the one that is more battle-tested that comes out on top?
Tipoff for Game 1 is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Golden State is the 3.5-point favorite with the over-under is up to 213.5 in the latest Warriors vs. Celtics odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Before making any Celtics vs. Warriors picks, be sure to see the NBA Finals 2022 predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters the 2022 NBA Finals on a stunning 88-59 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,200. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has locked in its Warriors vs. Celtics picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Celtics vs. Warriors:
- Warriors vs. Celtics spread: Warriors -3.5
- Warriors vs. Celtics over-under: 213.5
- Warriors vs. Celtics money line: Warriors -170, Celtics +145
- Warriors vs. Celtics tickets: See tickets at StubHub
- GSW: Warriors are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as favorites
- BOS: Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last four Thursday games
Why the Warriors can cover
The Warriors have had a full week of rest after dispatching the Mavericks in five games during the Western Conference finals and home-court advantage looms large. That extra rest could also bode well for players such as Andre Iguodala (questionable, neck), Gary Payton II (questionable, elbow) and Otto Porter Jr. (questionable, foot), who are working their way back from injury. Golden State is 9-0 at home in the 2022 NBA playoffs and has won by a staggering margin of 14.6 points per game with seven of the nine victories coming by double-digits.
After spending 941 days without playing in an NBA game because of a torn ACL and then a torn Achilles, Klay Thompson returned this year and is once again proving himself as an impact player for the Warriors. He's averaging 19.8 points per game while shooting 39.9 percent from the 3-point line, and the length that he and Andrew Wiggins provide defensively will be key in slowing down Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
Why the Celtics can cover
Dallas was unable to take advantage of Golden State's weakness in the paint, but Boston is more equipped to exploit the Warriors. The Celtics can turn to Robert Williams III (questionable, knee) and veteran Al Horford down low, creating issues for Golden State on both ends of the court. They also have Tatum and Brown to match Steph Curry and Thompson in the scoring department.
Golden State might be rusty after having a full week off since its last game, while Boston has had plenty of time to recover from Sunday's win in Miami. The Celtics have thrived away from home this postseason, covering the spread in 12 of their last 13 road games. They are also unbeaten against-the-spread in their last five games against Golden State, making them an appealing bet as underdogs on Thursday night.
How to make Celtics vs. Warriors picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 212 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 70 percent of simulations. You can only get that NBA Finals pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Warriors vs. Celtics? And which side of the spread hits in almost 70 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
