NBA 2022 Qualifiers – What to Watch in the Miami Heat-Boston Celtics vs Golden State Warriors-Dallas Mavericks Grand Finals

And then there are four teams left standing in the NBA 2022 playoffs.

After Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns – last year’s NBA finalists – were eliminated in Game 7 on the same day, the 2021-22 season is one step closer to crowning a new champion.

The Boston Celtics overcome another world series performance via Giannis Antetokounmpo reached the final round of the Eastern Conference. Meeting them are the top seeds Miami Heatwho overthrew Philadelphia 76ers in six games.

The Dallas Mavericks used one of the biggest playoffs in history to stun the NBA’s best Phoenix Suns in Game 7, setting up a showdown with Golden Empire Warriors in the final round of the Western Conference.

Jimmy Butler compare to Jayson Tatum. Stephen the curry compare to Luka Doncic. Which superstars will own the congress final? What game plan will each defense plan to stop them?

Here’s an early look at the four NBA finals.

Note: Series odds are provided by the ESPN Basketball Power Index (BPI) and Caesars Sportsbook.

Stats series odds

• BPI: Miami (51%)

• Caesars: Miami +145 | Boston -165

• Turn off. Rating: MIA (113.0, 12th) | BOS (113.6, ninth)

• Def. Rating: MIA (108.4, fourth place) | BOS (106.2, first)

Since 2005, no team has featured in more Eastern finals than the Heat and Celtics.

On Tuesday night, the Bay of Biscayne will once again host this Eastern Conference basketball generation-defining game, as the Heat will have their eighth game in 18 seasons, while the Celtics will have their fifth. seven of the past 15 seasons.

For the top seeds in Miami, it will be a chance to reach the NBA Finals for the sixth time in 12 years and the first since beating Boston in 2020 in the NBA’s Orlando, Florida bubble.

Boston hopes to win a four-game losing streak in the convention finals, including two at the hands of the Heat (2011-12 and 2019-20).

The question for Heat when entering this series will be the unclear status of the protection point Kyle Lowrywho has missed six of Miami’s past eight playoffs due to a hamstring injury he sustained in game 3 of the first round.

Miami acquired Lowry to help correct their mistake in the later rounds of the knockout stages after the Heat were ranked by the Bucks champions in the first round of last season.

And while Miami was navigating through Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers With Lowry sidelined, Boston will provide a much tougher test as the NBA’s best defensive team in the final 35 games of the regular season.

Celtics emerge from their seven-game slugfest with relatively healthy Bucks – let’s say Robert Williams III will be ready to go – and will turn away from trying to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo plan the game against Jimmy Butler.

After leading the Heat to the NBA Finals two years ago, Butler has become the superstar Miami needs in these playoffs, averaging 28.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists while shooting. 52.5% from the field and takes almost eight free throws per game.

Most surprisingly, Butler took out 36.4 percent of the time in more than four attempts per game. In the regular season, he’s shot 23.3% on two shots from deep into one night. We saw how important the 3-pointer shot was in Miami’s convention semi-final win over Philadelphia, when turns from deep at home were jarring for both sides.

Boston demonstrated throughout the series with Milwaukee that it could get hot at any moment, as shown in Its Game 7 win on Sunday. Given the amount of elite defensive talent on both sides – Boston and Miami finished their seasons first and fourth respectively in defensive ratings – whoever can break through from behind the arc will have a big advantage.

– Tim Bontemps

Stats series odds

• BPI: Dallas (56%)

• Caesars: Golden State -260 | Dallas +220

• Turn off. Rating: GS (112.1, 16) | DAL (112,5, 14)

• Def. Rating: GS (106.6, Monday) | DAL (109.1, Saturday)

The warriors soon knew Luka Doncic will be a problem. So it’s no surprise that it takes place in the 2022 Western Finals.

“He’s unbelievable,” Guardians of Warriors Stephen the curry talk about Doncic after the January 2019 win in Dallas.

“You could say that he only has experience playing basketball at a high level. A guy who is always at his own pace. I’m sure he’s heard all the doubters and people talking about the game. his players who really don’t know much about him and he’s definitely been known. It’s fun to watch.”

For Curry and Golden State, it won’t be as fun as it is now to watch Doncic and the Mavericks stand in the way of another NBA Finals appearance, the Warriors’ first since the fall. Toronto Raptors in 2019.

While the back-and-forth attack between Doncic and Curry will make the series a must-see on TV, the much more intriguing showdown could be how the Warriors handle their defensive plan against the 23-year-old Mavs superstar.

Gary Payton II, swiss army knife of warriorswho made an important role throughout the season thanks to his excellent defense and finishing around the rim, is not expected to return in this series as he was recovering from a broken elbow.

In his place, expect veterans Andrew Wiggins for more minutes trying to make Luka’s life harder.

But as is the case with any great player, the Warriors will always keep an eye on Doncic wherever he goes. Draymond Green Will definitely turn to protection sometime, at will Klay Thompsonwho had a lot of defensive duties after last season when ACL and Achilles injuries derailed the past two years of his career.

In the regular season, Doncic averaged 31.5 points ahead of the Warriors, second only to LeBron James According to research by ESPN Stats & Information.

Doncic has racked up 126 points against the Warriors in four games, the fourth most by a player in a season against Golden State since Steve Kerr became coach in 2014-15.

To slow down a player of Doncic’s caliber, it would be the kind of defensive team effort that Kerr has repeatedly discussed over the years against the likes of James and, before and after his three years of Warriors attaching. bunch of, Kevin Durant.

That’s the company Doncic currently holds. The Warriors, the NBA’s second-best defensive team in the regular season, need to treat him that way.

– Nick Friedell