The stage is set for what should be a thrilling NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors.
This marks the Celtics' first Finals appearance since 2010 when they fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. The Warriors, on the other hand, are about to play in their sixth Finals in the last eight years. They won three titles in five appearances between 2014 and 2018.
Here's the full schedule for Celtics-Warriors NBA Finals
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Despite the Warriors' unmatched success over the last decade, this Finals series isn't a "David and Goliath" scenario. While Golden State has the experience advantage over Boston, the C's have enjoyed plenty of success in their recent meetings.
Here's a refresher of how the last six Celtics-Warriors matchups have gone.
Nov. 15, 2019: Celtics win, 105-100
Boston Celtics
The Celtics took a nine-game win streak into San Francisco against an injury-plagued Warriors squad. Golden State played largely with a G League roster as "Splash Brothers" Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were sidelined. D'Angelo Russell also exited the game with a thumb injury.
Despite being short-handed, the Warriors put up an admirable fight until the final minute. They trailed by only one point at the half. But a clutch fourth-quarter 3-pointer from Kemba Walker (20 points) and late heroics from Jayson Tatum (24 points) and Jaylen Brown (22 points) were enough to propel Boston to its 10th straight victory.
Jan. 30, 2020: Celtics win, 119-104
The Warriors once again were without Curry and Thompson in the second meeting of the 2019-20 season, and the result was the same. Gordon Hayward led the way with 25 points to give the Celtics their fifth win in their last six games. Marcus Smart added 21 off the bench including 17 in the second half, and Tatum dropped 20 after honoring his late hero, Kobe Bryant. Boston led by as many as 19 in the fourth quarter.
Russell led Golden State with 22 points in the losing effort.
Feb. 2, 2021: Celtics win, 111-107
Curry went off for 38 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and three steals in his first game against the Celtics in three years. He shot 7-for-14 from beyond the arc, but it still wasn't enough to propel Golden State to victory vs. Boston.
The C's overcame Smart's absence with five of their players scoring in double figures. Tatum had a team-high 27 points while Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown chipped in 19 and 18, respectively. Grant Williams added 15 off the bench to help the Celtics earn their fourth consecutive win against the Warriors.
April 17, 2021: Celtics win, 119-114
Curry brought the heat again in their second meeting of the 2020-21 campaign. The two-time MVP exploded for 47 points while hitting 11 3-pointers. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Tatum was just as good for the Celtics.
Tatum led the C's to the 119-114 win with 44 points -- the second-highest total of his career at the time -- and shot 16-for-25 from the field. Kemba Walker added 26 points of his own while Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard put up 11 apiece off the bench. Make that five straight victories for Boston against Golden State.
Dec. 17, 2021: Warriors win, 111-107
The Warriors finally got over the hump vs. the Celtics in their first matchup of this season. It was yet another brilliant performance from Curry, who dropped a game-high 30 points. Andrew Wiggins also starred for Golden State with 27 points on 11-of-20 shooting.
Tatum and Brown dropped 27 and 20 points for the C's, respectively. Boston had five players in COVID-19 protocol for the game, including Al Horford and Grant Williams.
March 16, 2022: Celtics win, 110-88
Boston bounced back in the most recent meeting between these two squads back in March, but an injury to Curry overshadowed the final result of the game. Smart had a heated exchange with Warriors coach Steve Kerr after diving on the floor for a loose ball and colliding with Curry's ankle. The injury kept Curry sidelined for the remainder of the regular season.
With Curry hurt, Jordan Poole had a team-high 29 points for Golden State. Tatum and Brown had 26 points apiece for Boston and Smart had himself a nice offensive performance with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting.