NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors Game 5 Preview, Odds, Prediction

Game 5 of the series between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors is set for Monday night. The Warriors responded in Game 4, returning the break and restoring the home-court advantage, which now means they have a much more favorable situation than the one from a few days ago. The series returns to Chase Center, where the fans organize a very feisty and tense welcoming party for the Cs. It appears that the developments at the TD Garden. The Warriors’ players weren’t happy with the way spectators in Boston treated them, and the Dub Nation fanbase wants to get even.

Preview

Boston Celtics (+145) will show us whether they lost the swing after a loss in Game 4. The last 12 minutes saw them losing pace with the Warriors, and the Cs were especially bad in the final three minutes once GSW won this game.

Jayson Tatum wasn’t there to deliver, and neither was Jaylen Brown, while on the other end, Steph Curry began blasting, delivering his best performance of the playoffs. Meanwhile, Tatum had 23 points, Brown 21, and Smart 18. They were shooting 24-for-60.

Derrick White added 16 off the bench, but Pritchard and Grant Williams scored four points combined, and this might be the worst contribution of the non-starting players since the beginning of the playoffs.

Golden State Warriors (-170) showed their character in Game 4. We once again saw proof of Steph Curry’s ingenuity. Steph had 43 points, carrying his team throughout the entire event. He was unstoppable, and once that happens, the rival guards can’t even slow him down.

But he didn’t only have a fantastic scoring game. Curry added ten boards, and the battle on the glass was an aspect in which the Warriors dominated, which eventually helped them win. They had 55 rebounds, while Boston recorded 42. Andrew Wiggins was the best with 16 boards.

The former No.1 pick delivered 17 points, Klay Thompson had 18, while Jordan Poole came off the bench to score 14. Kevon Looney secured 11 boards, and Draymond Green had nine with eight assists. As said, the domination on the glass was, besides Steph’s unreal scoring night, the biggest reason for GSW’s break.

Head to Head

The most recent clash, Game 4, saw the Warriors winning 107-97. Game 1 ended 120-108 for the Cs at Chase Center. Game 2 was 107-88 for the Warriors, and Game 3 closed 116-100 for the Celtics, only this event was in Boston, the same as Game 4.

Prediction

The line for the total points is at 212. Golden State comes back home after a win, which will undoubtedly boost their morale and make them feel more comfortable. We expect to see a good game from their side and a bit more offensive-minded approach due to the entire situation. Over in this clash is a logical solution and seems to be the safest bet. Despite what many believe, we wouldn’t recommend betting on the Warriors, and we remind you that the Celtics are 8-3 on the road during these playoffs. That is better than someone’s home record. The Cs won Game 7 in Miami in the East finals, so they don’t mind about the venue that much.

Pick: Over 212 points