Klay Thompson will be named Finals MVP

Three years ago, Klay Thompson went down in Game 5 of the NBA Finals vs. the Raptors with a torn ACL. After sitting out the past two seasons, Thompson finally returned early this year and appeared close to his pre-injury shape. In 16 games this postseason, Thompson is shooting 45.7% from the field and averaging 19.8 points per game. While impressive, fans are still waiting for him to revert to being Steph Curry’s wingman and go-to when needed. Now that the Warriors are back in the Finals expect Thompson to play with extra motivation to reclaim the title Golden State believes was stolen from them back in 2019. Boston will look to collapse on Curry, leaving Thompson open on the wing with plenty of scoring opportunities. The Warriors will win the Finals, and Thompson will be crowned MVP.

Game 1 will be a blowout, but the rest of the games will be close

We emphasize the fact we love fading teams coming off Game 7s. This series is no different. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, we watched when the Celtics failed to cover against the Heat and lost while the Warriors blew out the Mavericks. Now Boston will be traveling across the country on three days’ rest to face the Warriors, who have not played since last week. A well-rested Golden State squad will feed off the home crowd’s noise and defeat the Celtics comfortably in Game 1. Once the rust and the fatigue wear off, expect the next 5 or 6 games in the series to be close, down-to-the-wire games against two evenly matched squads. 

There will be more 3-point attempts than 2-point field goals

We all know the game has changed to be more dominant from the 3-point line in recent years. Golden State initiated this style of play with Curry and Thompson dubbing themselves the Splash Brothers, which continues to be their style of play. The Celtics have moved away from the inside game and look to shoot behind the arc. Curry and Thompson rank 2nd and 4th in 3-point shots made in the postseason, with the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum right behind at No. 6. Look for outside attempts to be frequent, even in transition.

Marcus Smart and Draymond Green will have multiple confrontations

Throughout this postseason, Marcus Smart has lived up to his reputation of selling fouls (better known as flopping) while Draymond Green lets his temper get the best of him. This makes for the perfect recipe for two polarizing personalities to crash. If Smart attempts to draw a foul on Draymond, you can bet Green will have some spicy words in return. This will most definitely add to the entertainment factor of the Finals. However, Draymond has learned the hard way that too many technicals can cost you. See 2016 NBA Finals.

The Championship trophy will be hoisted in the Bay Area

We already predicted Warriors in 6, and we are sticking with that prediction. Although the Celtics will be the most formidable team the Warriors have yet to face this postseason, their experience and depth should propel them to their first title since 2018. In that case, we like the Warriors to steal at least one game in Boston and close out the series in 6. Mark it.