NBA Finals preview | Celtics' solid defence vs Warriors' potent offence
The Hindu
Ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Jayson Tatum-led Boston Celtics have the best road record in this year's postseason (7-2) while the Stephen Curry-led Golden State Warriors are the only team yet to lose at home (9-0)
An intriguing NBA Finals matchup that features a legendary history, a controversial present and even a touch of ownership rivalry tips off Thursday night when the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors contest Game 1 in San Francisco.
The Jayson Tatum-led Celtics own the best road record in this year's postseason (7-2) while the Stephen Curry-led Warriors are the only team yet to lose at home (9-0).
The franchises have met four times previously in the playoffs, the first three occurring in the Eastern Conference finals before the Warriors moved west from Philadelphia. The Celtics won all four matchups, including in 1960 and 1962 in the second and fourth seasons of their eight straight championships.
Boston also beat the Warriors in the 1964 NBA Finals, a five-game series in which Wilt Chamberlain outscored rival Bill Russell 146-56 and outrebounded him 138-126 in defeat.
The Celtics have added six titles in the post-Russell era, including one — their most recent — in 2008 over the Los Angeles Lakers with Joe Lacob as one of their part-owners.
The Massachusetts native became owner of the Warriors two years later and has since added three to his championship-ring collection, with Golden State claiming crowns in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
Lacob insisted this week that one for the thumb would be sweeter than any other.
