Draymond pinpoints keys to Warriors, Celtics winning NBA Finals

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The 2022 NBA Finals between the Warriors and Boston Celtics is expected to be a tight series.

Both teams feature tenacious defenses that finished Nos. 1 and 2 in defensive rating during the regular season. Both teams also boast multiple offensive playmakers that can get hot in the blink of an eye -- the Warriors with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole and the Celtics with their electric tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Although many experts are predicting Golden State to clinch its fourth championship in the last eight years, the analytics seem to favor Boston

Celtics Talk: Celtics in 7? Breaking down NBA Finals matchup against the Warriors | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

On his podcast that dropped Wednesday, one day ahead of Game 1, Draymond Green named the one thing each team needs to do in order to win the title.

"The Warriors will win the NBA Finals this year if we control our turnovers," Green said. "This is a very good [Celtics] defense. We have to be crisp with our passing, understand that they have great length, they play passing lanes, they’re very aggressive, they’re a switching defense. So, it’s very important."

If the series goes the other way, what will it look like?

"The Celtics will win the Finals if their defense is able to, one, stop Steph Curry," Green said. "I think that’s where everything starts at. If they ultimately are able to disrupt our offense -- now, what does disrupt mean? Ultimately, taking you out of the things that you want to do. So, if they’re able to disrupt our offense, then the Celtics win the NBA Finals."

The two teams split their regular-season meetings one apiece. In the Warriors' 111-107 win over Boston on Dec. 17, Curry dropped 30 points on 8-of-14 shooting. In Golden State's 110-88 loss to the Celtics on March 16, Curry committed four turnovers in 14 minutes before exiting in the second quarter due to a foot injury.

Green's analysis appears to be right on.

His theories will be put to the test Thursday night when Game 1 of the Finals tips off from Chase Center at 6 p.m. Tune into NBC Sports Bay Area PLUS at 4:30 p.m. to watch "Warriors Live: Finals Edition."

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