Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors NBA Finals Game 1 Betting Preview/Prop Picks

The first game of the NBA Finals kicks off tonight between the Celtics and Warriors. Boston, after defeating the Miami Heat, will test its defense against Golden State.

Perhaps the most important part of this game for Boston is how their defense performs. They last played the Warriors in mid-March and easily beat them 110-88. Could that be the case tonight?

The Golden State Warriors made relatively quick work of the Dallas Mavericks. After beating Dallas 4-1, they'll look to do the same to the Celtics. In many ways, the Boston Celtics are a lot like the Dallas Mavericks.

Each team has a strong defense with one player that leads the team's offense. The Warriors will try to limit the effectiveness of Jayson Tatum in search of a win.

Boston Celtics: Boston needs to find a way to create more offense

Through the series against the Miami Heat, the Celtics averaged just 105 points per game. They'll need to put together a lot more offense than that in this series.

The Warriors have one of the highest-scoring teams in the NBA; Boston can't fall behind here. Of course, they'll have their defense to rely on, but that might not be enough. More scoring opportunities will be key here.

Over their last three games against the Warriors, the Celtics have gone 2-1. They've also covered the spread twice in those three games. In terms of defense, the Celtics rank first overall in the NBA in points allowed per game.

By only giving up 103.85 points per game, the Celtics can slow down the Warriors' offense. The question is, will it be enough for a win tonight?

Golden State Warriors: Defense could help them edge out a win

The Warriors are already established as a great offense, especially with Klay Thompson healthy. Each member of the Warriors can shoot from beyond the perimeter, giving them an advantage.

As a team, the Warriors shoot 47.30% from the field, ranking fifth overall in the NBA. They average 111.57 points per game this season but averaged 115.20 against the Mavericks.

After taking down the Mavericks so easily, the Warriors seem like the best bet here. One thing people don't often talk about is how good the Warriors' defense can be. In their series against the Mavericks, they allowed just 106.6 points per game.

We expect that Andrew Wiggins will guard Tatum. Wiggins is a good defender, but he might need help from Draymond Green.

Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors Betting Pick

There are a few important things to consider when betting on this game. First, the Celtics are on the road against arguably the best team in the NBA. The other part to consider is that the Celtics haven't faced an offense this potent yet. 

The Warriors have gone 50-44-4 against the spread this season. However, looking at their recent record, you'll see that they're 5-1 ATS in their last six games.

Golden State's offense will be the difference-maker in this game, and we think they'll easily cover the four-point spread.

DunkelIndex Free Pick: Golden State Warriors -4, OVER

Prop Picks

Golden State (-120) OVER 107.5 Points

Golden State is averaging 111.0 points per game on offense, which ranks No. 15 in the league. That average increases to 113.9 points per game at home. Scores have gone OVER in four of the Warriors’ last five games when playing on 3 or more days rest.

With Dunkel predicting a Golden State victory by the score of 113-105, take the Warriors (-120) to finish OVER their Vegas team total of 107.5 points against the Celtics.

Stephen Curry (-120) OVER 27.5 Points

Curry averaged 25.5 points per game during the regular season, which ranked No. 1 on the Warriors, and has averaged 25.9 points per game in the postseason, which also ranks No. 1 on the Warriors. Those averages increase to 26.1 points per game in Golden State wins.

With Dunkel predicting a Warriors’ victory with the final score going OVER the Vegas total, take Curry (-120) to finish OVER his Vegas total of 27.5 points against Boston.

Be sure to check out all our Daily NBA Picks!

All Media on this page by Associated Press.