The stage is set for a fun, energetic NBA Finals series between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics. But, will the Celtics be able to keep up pace with the high-scoring Warriors?
The Boston Celtics are a great defensive team but they haven’t had to face an offensive powerhouse like the Golden State Warriors.
Golden State leads all teams in scoring for the playoffs, averaging 114.5 points per game and posting a league-best OFF RTNG of 116.1. In contrast, Boston is scoring just 107.1 points per game with an OFF RTGN of 11.8.
Obviously, it is not this simple.
The Warriors have mostly avoided any defensive battles aside from their second round series with the hyper-versatile Memphis Grizzlies. But even that matchup was full of fast-paced basketball that led to high-scoring games.
On the flip, the Celtics have been in slugfests since the start of the playoffs. They muddied up their first round series against Brooklyn, played bully-ball versus Milwaukee and engaged in all-out defensive warfare against the Miami Heat.
As a result, we can’t be too surprised the numbers are pointing toward Golden State being the superior team. Yet, there are other reasons to question if Boston can keep up with the Warriors’ scoring.
Boston hasn’t faced an elite offensive team yet in the postseason. Sure, the Nets boasted both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant but the rest of the roster was abysmal (not to mention, Kyrie and KD played horrifically).
The Bucks and Heat were both missing their second-leading scorer, leaving Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jimmy Butler prone to traps and double-teams that they could not overcome in a seven-game series.
As for the Warriors? They have no shortage of guys who can put the ball in the hoop. Just try trapping Stephen Curry when Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins are on the floor.
The Celtics have not had to scramble to defend multiple elite scorers. And, they’ve shown a dizzying response to opposing runs. When someone delivers a blow to the Celtics, they often don’t respond efficiently.
This leaves the Warriors with two clear advantages. Not only can they pose a new threat to the Celtics in terms of offensive firepower — but they’re also the pinnacle of going on scoring runs. Of course, they also play defense just as well as Boston.
The NBA Finals will be hard to predict but the Warriors’ scoring will be the most obvious threat to Boston’s title hopes.