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82 games. 30 teams. Three playoff rounds.
We are now down to our final two.
The Boston Celtics or the Golden State Warriors will be winning the 2022 NBA Championship.
Both have completely different teams.
The Golden State Warriors are the favorites to win, boasting their star trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
These three have won three championships together, and are now in their sixth finals.
It has been three years since their last trip to the finals, but they have been cruising through these playoffs with ease.
The emergence of young star Jordan Poole has been huge in this Warriors run, forming a lethal duo with Stephen Curry.
He has often been the go-to second option, leading the team in points a few times down this stretch. Whether he is starting or off the bench, he will make a huge impact in this series.
The Warriors are 12-4 in the playoffs, compared to the Celtics being 12-6.
They will have a week of rest heading into their first finals game.
They also hold homecourt advantage. If the Warriors continue to play as they have during these first three rounds, they will be bringing home their seventh NBA championship.
The Boston Celtics have been a surprise this season.
They were mediocre to start the season, but kicked into a new gear once 2022 rang in.
Year after year, they have been staying patient with their main core, not making any huge moves.
It finally paid off this season.
Being a relatively young team, the Celtics have a ton of potential.
The rise of superstar Jayson Tatum and his co-star Jaylen Brown have been huge factors in this run. Marcus Smart is the current Defensive Player of the Year, and will have the daunting task of guarding Stephen Curry or Jordan Poole.
The Celtics young core will continue to develop and be a threat for years.
The Celtics have arguably had the harder road to the finals.
They eliminated superstars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant (Nets), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks,) and Jimmy Butler (Heat) and went to a game seven twice against the Bucks and Heat.
They fought hard to be here, and could potentially upset the Warriors.
The Celtics have made their first finals appearance since 2010, and look to win their first championship since 2008.
If they win, they will hold the NBA record for the most championships won with 18. They are currently tied with the Los Angeles Lakers with 17.
This series will be tough, and both teams will battle hard to hoist the 2022 NBA Championship.
The NBA finals will tip off June 2nd at 9:00 p.m. ET.
