The NBA Finals tip off Thursday night, and FOX Sports analysts are weighing in on the matchup between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors.
Let’s examine what Nick Wright, Kevin Wildes, Chris Broussard, Skip Bayless, Shannon Sharpe and Emmanuel Acho think concerning the championship series.
Where Celtics have a bonus over Warriors
Colin Cowherd plays NBA Finals Faceoff, where he decides whether he prefers the Boston Celtics or Golden State Warriors in points within the paint, creativity, paint defense, coaching, leadership, chemistry, clutchness, depth and home-court advantage.
SKIP BAYLESS
Pick: Warriors
Bayless’ take: “The one thing about 3-point shooters, these two — Steph and Klay — you can not lock them down. You may’t stop them from shooting. They stop themselves. They are sometimes cold or they’re hot.”
SHANNON SHARPE
Pick: Celtics
Sharpe’s take: “I think that J.T. (Jayson Tatum) and J.B. (Jaylen Brown), the matchup which they present for the Warriors, will probably be an issue. In order that’s why I like them in seven games.”
NICK WRIGHT
Pick: Warriors
Wright’s take: “I don’t think these games will probably be blowouts, and I feel the late-game execution favors the Warriors greatly. And it needs to be noted that the Warriors, with a healthy Steph (Curry), Klay (Thompson) and Draymond (Green), are 21-1 under Steve Kerr in a playoff series.”
KEVIN WILDES
Pick: Celtics
Wildes’ take: “Their defense remains to be No. 1 and has been the perfect since Latest Yr’s Eve. I feel they’ve got a whole lot of size that Golden State goes to have some issues to contend with. I don’t think they’re intimidated by the Warriors. They won six of their last seven games in Golden State, and I feel we’re going to see Jayson Tatum ascend to a fair higher level.”
CHRIS BROUSSARD
Pick: Warriors
Broussard’s take: “I feel Golden State, due to their multiplicity of scorers, of options, the way in which they rating — midrange, 3, back-door cuts, drives to the bucket — they will probably be an excessive amount of, and so they win it in seven, on the house floor.”
EMMANUEL ACHO
Pick: Warriors
Acho’s take: “Anything the Celtics can do, the Warriors can do higher. … I really like the Celtics. The one problem is, they’re a knockoff version of the Warriors.”
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