The 2022 NBA Finals are here, and what a finals it will be. The Boston Celtics take on the Golden State Warriors, and within the battle of who will be crowned champion there are other, more specified stories at play. One thing of note, is the battle of defense. The Boston Celtics had the number one ranked defense during the regular season. Who was the number two team you ask? The Warriors. And both of these defenses will be put to the test as the Warriors have to try and slow down one of the premier offensive tandems in the league in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, while the Celtics have to contend with the historic splash brothers in Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Now, among that more generalized battle of team defense and scheme, there are individual battles that will also be worth watching.
Let’s start that discussion with the point guards. It is of little debate at this point that Steph Curry is the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA. He has dazzled us with half court shots and no look threes, making shooting from long range look as effortless as a free-throw. So you may ask, well, who is going to defend him? The Boston Celtics just so happen to have the current defensive of the year winner in Marcus Smart, an award I may add that hasn’t been given to a guard since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season. Smart is also one of the stronger guards in the league so he may make Steph work on defense as well, posting him up or running him off screens, anything to get under his skin.
The second battle worth mentioning takes place on the wings, and both wings are involved. Tatum and Brown vs Thompson and Wiggins. On paper this would appear to be an even matchup, all of these wings have size and length, athleticism, skill, so it’s the mental game that may be forced to shine through.
The last position battle that will be particularly intesresting is Horford and Draymond. Draymong is the heart and soul for the Warriors and has a knack for doing whatever is needed to help them win, and although Horford doesn’t have that same exact reputation, with a little thought you could say the same about him. Who will come out victorious? Who will make the winning plays when it matters most? Only time can tell but one thing is for certain, this finals will be one for the records books.