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En the 75th anniversary of the NBAnothing better than a final with two of the founding franchises, Warriors and Celticstwo of the most successful teams ever. Boston saw his team win 17 titles. They have the opportunity to tie the tie with the Lakers at the top of the palm trees. Golden State adds six wounded, the same as the Bulls, with those who equal in third place. be this a ring with history.
Only once were the Warriors and the Celtics in a final. It was in 1964, in the middle of that victorious era of Boston in which he added 12 titles in 14 years. The stars were, respectively, Wilt Chamberlain y Bill Russell, NBA icons. Times of black and white, tight pants, canvas shoes, without triples and with dominant pvots. It was almost a different sport.
Now the perimeter game prevails. With Stephen Curry, who is looking for his fourth ring and his first NBA Finals MVP. also with Jayson Tatum, who debuts in a final and try to reaffirm his status as a megastar. “Sometimes I still feel like a child living a dream. I thank God I’m here,” says the escort. Both are accompanied by much more talent on the outside: Klay Thompson y Jordan Pooleon the one hand, and Jaylen Brown y Marcus Smart, for the other. And then, Draymond Green, the one who makes everything work in San Francisco. All of them were drafted by the team where they play. Moral: better to make stars than to sign them looking for shortcuts to the ring.
The two best defenses in the NBA
With so much talent, it’s easy to run out of offensive potential, but what has gotten both teams to the final is the work behind. They have been the best in defensive efficiency: the Celtics have allowed 106.2 points and the Warriors 106.6.Robert Williams III y Green they are bastions and key pieces in the gears devised respectively by Ime Udokaformer player of Gran Canaria and of Murcia and NBA finalist in his debut as head coach, and Steve Kerrwho achieved that achievement in 2015.
Six different teams in the last three finals
One of the many charms that the NBA has is that there are numerous teams that can end up fighting to win the ring and that those who were recently under reconstruction are now circulating among the elite of the League. In the last three seasons there have been six different teams that have reached the final: Lakers and Heat in the Disney bubble with a Los Angeles victory; Bucks and Suns last year successfully for Milwaukee; and Warriors and Celtics this time. In the event of Boston’s victory, it would be the fifth different champion in five years, something that has not happened since there were six between 1975 and 1980.
The two teams will fight for the ring after crossing the desert. First final for the Celtics since 2010. Their last title dates back to 2008. Two years ago, while the Warriors were the worst in the NBA. They had won three titles between 2015 and 2018, but Thompson’s injuries -anterior cruciate ligament and Achilles tendon- y Curry They made them go from heaven to hell. Now back in the stratosphere: sixth final in eight years and in search of the fourth title with Kerr. “We felt from the start of the season that we had a real chance to get back into the fight,” says the coach.
The Warriors start as favorites
The Warriors are almost unanimous favorites. Among the arguments to consider them so is the way of the contenders. The one with the Celtics, harder. The 4-0 at Nets was the prelude to two tough battles that reached the seventh game against the Bucks and the Heat, having to come back in both. Tatum averages 41 minutes in the playoffs, Brown is at 38 and Horford and Smart are at 36. The latter, like Williams, has some ailments. Golden State has enjoyed a bye week since eliminating the Mavericks.. Time to recover the injured Andre Iguodala, Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Payton II.
Another differentiating factor may be that among the entire Warriors squad they add 123 games in finals while the Celtics stay at zero. From the ceiling of Boston’s TD Garden hang 17 flags, one for each NBA title won, and the retired jerseys of franchise legends. That Celtic pride, against the experience of the Warriors. Tatum, in front of Curry. The memory of the legendary Russell and Chamberlain. The fight for a ring with history starts at dawn this Friday.
