The Golden State Warriors will host the Boston Celtics tonight in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, hoping to gain an advantage for the first time in this series.
The Warriors were facing the bleak prospect of going down 1-3 on Friday night, but Steph Cury’s masterful performance allowed the Dubs to claim a huge win, a real big-boy victory in front of a rabid Boston crowd. The Dubs have managed to counter many of the things Boston used to hurt them earlier in the series, and will look to capitalize on these adjustments going further. Now, with the series tied at 2-2, the Warriors have home court avantage back, and will win the Finals as long as they don’t lose another game at Chase Center.
I believe we will see a Warriors win tonight, in fact I wouldn’t be surprised if they win the next two and secure a 4-2 Finals victory. The Celtics were so close to gaining full control of the series in the last game, I just think it was a punch in the gut and I don’t know if a young team like them, with no Finals experience, can recover. We saw the Warriors championship DNA on full display and this team has always capitalized on these kind of momentum switches. I expect it to happen again.
Boston has not lost back to back games in these playoffs and they always respond well to losses, so that must be taken into account, but there is the first time for anything. The Warriors have been here and done this many times. They are not allowing this series to slip through their fingers, not at home, not after working SO hard in Game 4 to claim back home court advantage. I don’t see that happening.
I would also say the Warriors have already proved their superiority at home in this series, as they have only been outplayed in one of the 8 quarters played at Chase Center, that shocking fourth quarter in Game 1 which allowed Boston to start the series on top.
I’m backing the Dubs. After following them so closely for years, I feel confident that this is the kind of game they are winning in an overwhelming majority of cases. Prediction: Golden State Warriors – Boston Celtics 112 – 102.
Pick: Warriors
Odds: 1.61 @ 1xBet
Stake: 10
Possible profit: 6.10
Event date: 14 June