The NBA Finals could come to an end on Thursday night when the Boston Celtics host the Golden State Warriors in Game 6. Even though the Celtics are facing elimination, they are a four-point favorite at home against Golden State. The game also has an over/under of 210 points.
There has been no shortage of drama or momentum swings in the first five games of the series. The Celtics stole Game 1 with an amazing comeback and appeared to be in good shape with a 2-1 series lead.
However, the Warriors won Game 4 on the road and Game 5 at home, putting them one game away from their fourth title in nine years.
Same Old Seth
Even with questions about whether or not he’s fully healthy, Stephen Curry has arguably been the most impactful player in the series.
He averaged 34.3 points per game over the first four games of the series, capped by a 43-point, 10-rebound performance in Game 4. But even when he failed to make a three-pointer in Game 5, Curry still made an impact on the game with 16 points and eight assists.
Curry is also getting plenty of help around him, especially from Andrew Wiggins, who was a massive difference-maker during Golden State’s wins in Games 4 and 5. He had 17 points and 16 rebounds in Game 4 and then 26 points and 13 rebounds in Game 5, far exceeding his regular-season production.
Jordan Poole has also been an underrated contributor coming off Golden State’s bench, while Klay Thompson has come alive again, averaging 21.3 points per game over the last three games after underwhelming performances in the first two games.
Time for Tatum
It’s no secret that Jayson Tatum is going to be the one to bring Boston back in this series if the Celtics are going to force a Game 7. He notched a double-double with 12 points and 13 assists in the Game 1 win and has averaged 26 points per game over the last four games.
That includes double-doubles in points and rebounds in the last two games, as the Warriors haven’t had an answer for him despite Golden State winning those games.
But while Tatum will be the driving force in a potential Boston comeback, he’s going to need help, which hasn’t been there in the last two games.
The Celtics scored just ten total bench points in Game 5, whereas the Warriors had two players score double figures off the bench.
Meanwhile, despite Robert Williams and Al Horford having made an impact defensively, both have underperformed offensively outside of Horford’s 26 points in Game 1.
A Little Luck
In a series full of momentum swings, expect at least one more to come, as the Celtics will turn things around despite Golden State seizing the momentum with two straight wins.
Look for Tatum to be at his best in a must-win game with the home crowd getting the Celtics the energy they need to pull out a win.
With each game of this series being decided by at least 10 points, bet on the Celtics to win and cover in Game 6.
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