The stars: Curry and Tatum stand out
In an NBA Finals, every team has more than one good player. Nonetheless, the answer to the biggest star is both in Bostonas well as in Golden State a relatively clear answer. Both warriors is that natural Wardell Stephen Curry II – better known as Stephen Curry. The 34 year old Point Guard brings it in the playoffs so far to almost 26 points per game, plus about six assists and one steal. He is the undisputed leader of the warriors. Of course, elite long-range shooter Klay Thompson and all-rounder Draymond Green are also multiple All-Stars and absolute top players.
Both Celtics the superstar is a few years younger. Jayson Tatum is in his fifth NBA season even stronger and more important for the Celtics than ever before. The 24-year-old led his team into the finals with 27 points per game and also belongs to the Assists, steals and rebounds to the best Celtics-Actors in the postseason.
The only 24-year-old’s co-star is Jaylen Brown, who is a year older than him. After the for Boston After a rather unsuccessful start to the season, some critics had become louder, who had claimed for several years that the 2.03 m tall Tatum and the five centimeter smaller Brown couldn’t play together because their strengths and weaknesses were too similar.
Not much can be read or heard about it anymore. The criticism has sported them, explained tatum recently – the two offensively and defensively strong wingers not only seem to get along brilliantly on the court and work at both ends of the field with full commitment for and next to each other.
The coaches: special guys on both sides
Warriors coach Steve Kerr stands for titles like no other in the NBA. The long-distance throw specialist was thrown five times as a player with the Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio trails champion, three times he caught up as coach with the warriors the title, most recently in 2018. The 56-year-old is one of the best-known and most popular not only because of his track record, but also because of his thoroughly emotional and opinionated political statements and his verbal quick-wittedness coaches the NBA.
On the other side is Ime Udoka, 44 years old and in his first year as a head coach in the NBA directly in the finals. As a player, Udoka, who was born in Portland but plays for Nigeria’s national team, was only moderately successful in the world’s best basketball league and also played repeatedly in European leagues or “farm teams” of the NBA. At times he even had to work nights as a parcel delivery man to make ends meet.
It’s a story that’s particularly popular these days, Udoka is the one underdogwho worked his way up and as an assistant coach to the great Gregg Popovich at the San Antonio Spurs and recently apparently learned a lot with the US national team. Just like Popovich or Kerr, he is considered a great communicator and popular with the players.
The starting position: Warrio’s slight favourite
Although the Boston Celtics the regular season as runners-up Eastern Conference completed and the Golden State Warriors in the West they “only” came third warriors home advantage in the final series. So you play the first two games in your own hall and the fifth and seventh (and then definitely last) game of the series would also be played by the opponents in san francisco graduate
The reason for that “Home Court Advantage” the warriors: In the regular playoff games, the team that is in the respective Conference after completion of the Regular season was better placed. In the final, however, the win-loss balance counts and this is where it lies warriors just ahead with 53:29 Boston (51:31).
The role of favorites is also more likely, not only because of the home advantage Golden State. The squad is much more experienced and hardened. Curry, Thompson and Green are three warhorses with more Finals and title experience than almost any other active NBA player.
With the very young Celtics one looks in vain for such empirical values. Even veteran Al Horford has never been in an NBA final. With 141 playoff games played, until a few days ago he was still the player who had the most playoff games of all time without ever having contested an NBA final.