Celtics vs. Warriors Game 5 Betting Odds, Picks, Predictions – June 13, 2022

Celtics vs. Warriors Game 5 Betting Preview

In a back and forth competitive matchup in Game 4, the Golden State Warriors were able to tie the series 2-2. Steph Curry had a legendary performance, with what could be his signature game of these NBA Finals, tallying a blistering 43 points on 7 for 14 from downtown, while pulling down 10 rebounds and 4 assists. He made every crucial shot and play down the stretch, epitomizing the desperation of not wanting to go down 3-1.

The Boston Celtics continued their aggressive and physical play. They applied the same defensive scheme they had all series, but their offense failed them when it mattered the most. The story continues to be about the offensive struggles to keep control of the basketball. 15 turnovers, including 6 by their star Jayson Tatum alone. The Warriors would score 19 points off of the turnovers.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics had the chance to put a stranglehold on the series, and take a commanding 3-1 lead. They would take a late 5-point lead in the fourth, but could not generate enough offense to close it out.

Jayson Tatum continues to struggle from the floor, finishing just 8 for 23 from the field. It’s been a grind all series for the star. He is just 14 for 51 from the 2-point range in the series, including a ton of point-blank misses at the basket. Andrew Wiggins has been stellar picking him up full court at times, not allowing Tatum to “bump” him off to get balanced on his drives. The Celtics offense depends on Tatum to be an efficient scorer, and he has a few games left to try and show up with it.

Jaylen Brown continues to be the unsung hero for Boston. Another big-time performance and helped the Celtics take a late lead. With the amount of attention the defense is paying to Tatum, he may need to take up more of a playmaker role. He had 21 points on 9 for 19 shooting and has been the best “matchup hunter” for Boston.

The Warriors adjusted and started Otto Porter Jr. for Kevon Looney, to match up with the small ball lineups of the Celtics. It allowed Golden State to become even more switch-heavy and baited the Celtics into “1 on 1” basketball. They ran almost pure isolation sets to close the game and settled for contested long jump shots. They eventually lost the points in the paint battle 38 to 32, and the rebounding 55 to 42. How Boston manages to attack the switches and get the advantageous matchups will be the deciding factor in Game 5.

Golden State Warriors

The prospect of going down 3-1 in a series is daunting, and the Warriors played with that desperation all night. It was spearheaded by their superstar Curry. He was masterful all game, getting very little support from the others on the team. Almost every shot scored very high on the difficulty barometer.

The Celtics continued to have extremely physical defenders in Marcus Smart, Derrick White, and others stick and chase over the top, while the bigs try and contain in a semi-drop-back coverage. The game plan was to bait Curry into tough step-back contested shots and live with no one else going off.

Curry obliged and shot almost every time he ran the ball screens. He picked relentlessly on the foot speed of Al Horford and Robert Williams. Curry had 23 second-half points, including 10 in the fourth to close it out. He has been unstoppable all series and is seeming to find more and more rhythm as it goes on.

Draymond Green continued his offensive struggles in Game 4. Only 2 points and was 1 for 7 from the floor. He was blocked numerous times on his drives, and the passiveness on offense continued to show up. His on-ball defense was not what we are accustomed to, and was even taken out of the game by coach Steve Kerr in the fourth. Green still accumulated 8 assists and 9 rebounds, with crucial defensive help coverage to stave off a late Boston comeback. They are going to need more from Green to close this series out.

The Warriors starting Otto Porter instead of Kevon Looney is a decisive move toward small ball. They are committed to switching and full spacing. One reason they can do this is the play of Wiggins. Other than Curry, he might be the most consistent Warrior in these playoffs. He netted 17 points on the night with a ton of run-stopping jump shots. Wiggins also had a career-high 16 rebounds, with massive offensive boards to keep possessions alive. Not to mention he did all of this while continuing to be the main defender on Tatum, playing 43 vital and very physical minutes. They are going to need Wiggins to continue his magnificent play to take home a title.

Celtics vs. Warriors Game 5 Betting Pick: Warriors Moneyline | -165 on Caesars Sportsbook

The series has now evolved to a best of 3, with the Warriors reclaiming home court. Both teams will come out desperate in a decisive Game 5, but I have the Warriors defending their home court and going to Boston up 3-2. Curry has continued to be un-guardable and the “others” should shoot better at home. I would bet this up to -180.