There are many cliches used by fans, media, players, and coaches alike during the postseason as they try to keep the decorum towards how the teams and players perform on the floor. For the western conference champion Golden State Warriors and the Eastern conference champion Boston Celtics, it’s that “While some things change, others remain the same”, and that’s what it’s been like throughout the playoffs and into their crossroads that is the 2022

NBA finals. After a grueling and treacherous regular season and playoffs, we’ve arrived at the biggest stage in basketball. So let’s take a look at our two contestants, how they got here, and how they match up against each other.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS:

They’re still here. The Warriors returned to the playoffs for the first time since their 2019 finals appearance, and led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thomson and Draymond Green, have returned to this stage for the sixth time in eight seasons.

In round one, they vanquished the reigning two-time MVP

In Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in five games. Next, they squared off against the upstart Memphis Grizzlies and went toe-toe with them, but Most improved player of the year JA Morant went down with an ankle injury in game 3, which changed the complexity and legitimacy of the series. The Griz weren’t deterred and fought hard in game four, but Stephen Curry(32 points) and the Warriors rallied with a late 11-2 spurt, including Steph making eight straight from the charity stripe for a 101-95 comeback win reminiscent of the Warriors from years past. A few nights later, Golden State used Klay Thomson’s 30 points in game six to send them back to the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Mavericks.

Luka Doncic presented an otherworldly challenge, especially after his 35 point outburst in a 123-90 game 7 road win over the 64-18 Phoenix Suns, but Golden State had the starpower to weather the storm and notch the series victory in five games, as Stephen Curry took home Western conference MVP averaging 24.8 points per game in the stanza, and Golden State are now four wins away from their fourth title in the last eight years.

BOSTON CELTICS:

Since a 2018 trip to game seven of the Eastern Conference final, Boston has been knocking on the door and now they’re finally here. After starting out 23-24, the Celtics went 33-7 the rest of the way and notched the two seed in the East, inadvertently setting them up for a gauntlet. They swept the KD-Kyrie Nets who were previously favored to win the title, rallied from 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 deficits to upend the reigning-champion Giannis Antentakumpo and the Milwaukee Bucks with a resounding 109-81 game 7 win at TD Garden. In the Eastern conference final, the bout between the Miami Heat and Boston lived up to its billing going seven games, with Boston eking out a 100-96 victory in South beach.

The Celtics have been led by Eastern Conference finals MVP 24 year-old Jayson Tatum, who’s averaging 27 points per game these playoffs, and Jaylen Brown has chipped in with 22.9 points per game, Al Hordford stabilizes things off the bench as a veteran, while defensive player of the year Marcus Smart seems to be getting a triple-double game in and game out when healthy.

But defensively is where Boston reigns supreme, as led by Robert Williams and coached by Ima Udoka, the Celtics have limited teams to just 101.4 points per game in these playoffs, while facing the most lethal offenses in the game today. Boston hasn’t won a title since 2008 or been in the finals since 2010, and will look to pull back even with the Lakers atop the all-time leaderboard with 17 titles apiece.

John Thomas of NBC sports put it best when describing these finals.

“That they're intersecting at this moment is a basketball purist's dream -- the proud champions built around a breathtakingly creative offense vs. the young upstarts who play defense as relentlessly as a tsunami. We haven't had a Finals pairing this intriguing since the Warriors met LeBron James and the Cavs for the first time seven years ago.” “Golden State are 7-9(.438) against Boston from 2017, but are 499-219(.807) against the other 28 teams in basketball.”

When you talk about ratings, this is the perfect for the NBA.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

SMART VS CURRY:

The two ring leaders of the preferred style of play both teams put forth will be on display. The Warriors love to run and gun, of course burning teams from long range with great efficiency through their vigorous chemistry, but Smart is the defensive player of the year for a reason, and as the point guard, will be on Curry throughout the series. Boston will likely loom for Curry on the offensive end, trying to force him into foul trouble, while Curry won’t be instructed too because Boston will be swarming him no matter who’s on the floor. Steph will have his moments because that’s the great player that he is, but if Smart can help contain him, it may go a long way towards the Celtics title hopes.

WIGGINS VS TATUM:

Andrew Wiggins will go from guarding Luka Doncic to Jayson Tatum so this is a sizable task for him with the length me agility he provides. Of course Tatum can use that to his advantage as well with his own strengths, but if he’s neutralized then I don’t see Boston hanging with the Warriors if one of these games were to become a shootout.

THOMSON VS BROWN

Both two prolific NO2 scorers on their own teams with much to prove.

STEVE KERR VS IME UDOKA:

The vast difference in experience between Steve Kerr and Ime Udoka May swing these finals. Kerr is coaching in his sixth NBA Finals, as Golden State made it five years in a row, from 2015 to 2019. He will coach his 122nd playoff game come Thursday night and is the first to make the NBA finals in four different decades, doing it as a player with Jordan’s Bulls and the 2003 Titie-winning Spurs. As for Udoka, welcome to finals, as it’s his first one.

MY NBA finals predictions:

Game 1: Celtics 89 Warriors 97

Game 2: Celtics 101 Warriors 95

Game 3: Warriors 96 Celtics 113

Game 4: Warriors 101 Celtics 93

Game 5: Celtics 98 Warriors 105

Game 6: Warriors 102 Celtics 106

Game 7: Celtics 100 Warriors 110

Warriors win series 4-3, Curry MVP.