A look back at the roller coaster 2021/22 season for the Celtics as they prepare to start the NBA Finals against the Warriors, plus what it means to continue the legacy in Boston in trying to raise another banner
The 2022 NBA Finals will finally begin Thursday night when the Golden State Warriors host the Boston Celtics in Game 1 at Chase Center.
The Celtics' goal should be getting at least a split in Golden State before the series shifts to TD Garden in Boston. This will be a tough challenge, though, given the Warriors' 9-0 record at home in the playoffs.
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That said, the Celtics have been an excellent road team in the postseason with a 7-2 record, including a Game 7 win over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Celtics also have won four consecutive games at Golden State, with their last loss coming in 2018.
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So, just how important is Game 1 of the NBA Finals? Consider the following stats:
- The winner of Game 1 in the NBA Finals wins the series 70.7 percent (53-22) of the time.
- The winner of Game 1 at home wins the series 77.6 percent (45-13) of the time.
- The Celtics are 14-7 all time in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. They are 13-1 in the NBA Finals after winning Game 1.
- This is the fifth time the Celtics are playing Game 1 of the NBA Finals on the road. They are 1-3 in those matchups and 2-2 in those series. They've lost the last two such series (1987 and 2010).
- The Warriors are 7-0 all time in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at home, and 8-3 overall.
The Celtics haven't played too well in Game 1s during this playoff run.
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They needed a buzzer-beater from Jayson Tatum in Game 1 of the first round to beat the Brooklyn Nets. The C's lost Game 1 at home in the second round against the Milwaukee Bucks, and they lost Game 1 on the road against the Heat in the conference finals.
Beating the Warriors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals will be Boston's most difficult challenge yet.