Now at the doorstep of game one, the NBA Finals appear like a tantalizingly even matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics.
You can easily mount an argument for each team – both are heading in with not only their own strengths but also their own weaknesses that the other will aim to exploit.
The Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics are set to meet in the NBA Finals, both with claims to the title as the best team in the league.
So, what advantages do the Warriors have against the best team from the Eastern Conference? Here are five aspects that’ll be crucial in aiding the Warriors’ hopes for a fourth championship in eight seasons.
1. Experience
Boston will enter the Finals without one player on their roster having ever been to this stage, a well-documented point since they beat the Miami Heat in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals.
In comparison, Golden State has 123 games of NBA Finals experience on their roster. That has to play a factor, most likely early in the series and also late in games during big moments. The Warriors have already accounted for young superstars in Ja Morant and Luka Doncic, with Jayson Tatum the final one to check off the list on their way to a championship.