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Diahuebs 2 Juni 2022

NBA Finals preview: Breaking down Celtics-Warriors matchup

By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)
— Preview capsule for
the NBA Finals, which
start Thursday: East No.
2 BOSTON CELTICS
(51-31, 12-6) vs. West No.
3 GOLDEN STATE WAR-
RIORS (53-29, 12-4)

Season series: Tied, 1-1.
Golden State won at Boston
111-107 on Dec. 17. The
Celtics rolled on Golden
State's home floor in the re-
match on March 16, winning
110-88. Schedule: Thursday and Robert Williams III for will likely log huge minutes playoffs. ... Warriors coach bined for zero.
and Sunday at San Francisco, the Celtics. Put simply, it's anyway because it wouldn't Steve Kerr has the best post- Prediction: The Celtics won
June 8 and 10 at Boston, June the great offense of Golden seem likely that Robert Wil- season winning percentage in four relatively close games
13 at San Francisco if neces- State against the great de- liams III — dogged by knee NBA history at .736 (89-32). to sweep a Brooklyn team
sary, June 16 at Boston if nec- fense of Boston. The expe- recovery — will be on the He's coaching in the NBA Fi- with Kyrie Irving and Kevin
essary, June 19 at San Fran- rience edge goes to the War- floor a ton. Injury watch: nals for the sixth time, some- Durant in Round 1, won a
cisco if necessary. riors. But Smart, Brown and Williams III has been on the thing only Phil Jackson (13 Game 7 against the defend-
Storyline: A rematch of the Tatum have been building for floor for Boston, but limited times), Red Auerbach (11), ing champion Milwaukee
1964 NBA Finals. Golden this moment and are now, of- and limping often. Otto Por- Pat Riley (9), John Kundla Bucks in Round 2, then went
State is seeking a fourth ficially, a Big 3. Smart — the ter Jr. (left foot) is planning (6) and Gregg Popovich (6) on the road to beat Miami in
championship in eight years, defensive player of the year to return in this series for have done. ... Boston's mag- a Game 7 for the East title.
while the Celtics are trying — will draw the primary as- the Warriors. Payton II's re- ic number this season: 107. They are, by any definition,
to break a tie with the Los signment on Curry, the most turn would give the Warriors The Celtics were 48-9 when battle tested. The Warriors
Angeles Lakers and become prolific and probably most a boost, particularly on the holding teams to 107 or less, are trying to pull off a come-
the first team with 18 NBA creative 3-point shooter in defensive end. The Warriors' 15-28 when allowing 108 or back story; they were the best
titles. Celtics coach Ime the history of the game. Andre Iguodala, who has said more. ... Golden State's magic show in basketball from 2015
Udoka will seek to become The bench keys: Derrick he's retiring after this season, number this season: 115. The through 2019, hit the reset
the 10th coach in NBA his- White had a huge Eastern has missed the last 12 games Warriors were 61-15 when button while dealing with
tory to win a title in his first Conference finals for Bos- with a cervical disc issue. holding teams to 115 or less, injuries and roster revamp-
season, something that Gold- ton, and Jordan Poole has Numbers of note: The Celt- 4-18 when allowing 116 or ing, and here they are on the
en State's Steve Kerr did with exceeded all reasonable ex- ics have played exactly 100 more. ... Warriors players Ste- brink of another title. They
the Warriors in 2015. pectations for Golden State games so far this season — phen Curry, Klay Thompson, are proven, and their his-
The starters matchup: Ste- throughout the playoffs. If they went 25-25 in the first Draymond Green, Andre tory — 26 consecutive series
phen Curry, Klay Thompson, the Warriors get Gary Payton 50, 38-12 in the second 50. Iguodala and Kevon Looney with at least one road win
Draymond Green, Andrew II back to form in this series ... Golden State has a league- have a combined 1,930 points — means that Boston will
Wiggins and Kevon Looney after his elbow fracture, that's best 25 wins this season in in the NBA Finals entering probably have to win twice at
for the Warriors against Mar- a huge plus. Grant Williams games where it trailed after this season. Everyone else in Chase Center to pull this off.
cus Smart, Jayson Tatum, would be another X-factor the first quarter, with six of this series, including the en- Not going to be a romp, but
Jaylen Brown, Al Horford off the bench for Boston and those wins coming in the tire Boston roster, has com- Warriors in six.

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike arrives at Belmont Park

NEW YORK (AP) — Ken- winner of the Derby arrived track at 9:30 a.m. accompa- farther he went the better he Strike, who made the Ken-
tucky Derby winner Rich around 1 a.m. to start prepa- nied by a pony. They went accepted the pony. I think by tucky Derby field following
Strike has arrived at Bel- rations for the $1.5 million two laps the wrong way the end of the week they'll be the late scratch of Ethereal
mont Park for the final Belmont Stakes on June 11. around on the dirt surface. good buddies and on race day Road, broke from the outside
jewel of thoroughbred The colt was shipped by van "He settled down a lot the he needs a buddy." No. 20 post under Sonny
racing's Triple Crown. from Kentucky. second time round," trainer Reed said the colt, who is Leon in the 1 1/4-mile Ken-
With exercise rider Gabriel Eric Reed said. "A lot of that owned by Rick Dawson's tucky Derby and rallied from
The track announced Lagunes riding, Rick Strike was trying to get him used to RED TR-Racing, is tired and far back to win. The Belmont
Wednesday the long shot visited Belmont's training the pony. You could see the will sleep the rest of the day. Stakes is a 1 1/2-mile race.
Reed said Rich Strike will be Reed said the owners decided
schooled in the paddock in to skip the Preakness, won
the morning before training by Early Voting on May 21 at
on the main track. Pimlico, to give Rich Strike
"He's so routine oriented," more time between starts.
Reed said. "We're in a new It marked the first time a
place, so we can set his rou- Derby winner skipped the
tine here and in two days, Preakness since 1985, when
he'll be fine," Reed said. Spend a Buck collected a $2
Rich Strike breezed five- million bonus for traveling to
eighths in 59 seconds Mon- Garden State to capture the
day on the main track at Jersey Derby.
Churchill Downs. Reed said Reed said if Rich Strike con-
he won't breeze again ahead tinues to move forward their
of the Belmont. "We might long-term target would be
let him run down the lane the $1.25 million Runhappy
Thursday or Friday," Reed Travers on Aug. 27 at Sara-
said of next week. Rich toga Race Course.