The Boston Celtics can get within one game of their first title since 2008 when they face the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the 2022 NBA Finals on Friday night. Boston gave up an 18-point lead in Game 3 on Wednesday night, but it recovered with a dominant fourth quarter to take control of the series. The Celtics have now won eight of the last 10 meetings between these teams. Robert Williams III (knee) is questionable for Boston. Golden State lists Stephen Curry (foot) as probable, while Andre Iguodala (knee) and Otto Porter Jr. (foot) are questionable.
Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET from TD Garden in Boston. Boston is the four-point favorite in the latest Celtics vs. Warriors odds from Caesars Sportsbook, with the over-under set at 214. Before finalizing Warriors vs. Celtics picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions from SportsLine expert Zack Cimini.
A Las Vegas handicapper who's never afraid to buck conventional wisdom, Cimini excels in multiple sports. Over the past 36 NBA picks, Cimini is 23-13, returning almost $900 to $100 players. He is also on an amazing 39-17-1 run with his last 57 against-the-spread picks involving the Celtics, returning almost $1,800 to $100 players.
Now, Cimini has set his sights on Celtics vs. Warriors, and just locked in his picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Warriors vs. Celtics:
- Celtics vs. Warriors spread: Boston -4
- Celtics vs. Warriors over-under: 214 points
- Celtics vs. Warriors money line: Boston -170, Golden State +145
- Celtics vs. Warriors tickets: See tickets at StubHub
- BOS: The Celtics are 14-7 against the spread in playoff games
- GS: The Warriors are 10-9 against the spread in playoff games
Why the Warriors can cover
Golden State has been in this position before, providing the Warriors with valuable experience heading into Game 4 on the road. The Warriors are capable of getting hot any time they step on the court, as a strong day from Curry and Klay Thompson would make it difficult for Boston to keep pace and cover this number. Curry led all scorers with 31 points in Wednesday's loss.
The Warriors are 5-0 after a loss this postseason, winning four of those games by double digits. Williams played a key role in Game 3, but he has only had one day to recover from his lingering knee injury. Golden State has no choice except to play its stars for most of Friday's game, as it cannot afford to head home in a 3-1 hole.
Why the Celtics can cover
Boston is a tremendous defensive team. The Celtics lead the NBA in myriad defensive categories during the regular season, including field goal percentage allowed, 2-point percentage allowed, 3-point percentage allowed, assists allowed and points allowed per possession. Boston is giving up fewer than 1.06 points per possession in the playoffs, with opponents shooting only 32.3 percent from three-point distance and 43.5 percent from the field.
In the series, Golden State is grabbing only 26.1 percent of offensive rebounds, a modest figure, and Boston is blocking 6.7 shots per game. The Celtics are also giving up only 30.7 points in the paint per game, and Boston's offensive numbers against Golden State are quite strong. Boston is knocking down 43.4 percent of 3-point attempts through the first three games, averaging 28.3 assists per game and producing an impressive 31 percent offensive rebound rate. The Celtics have a 2-1 series lead in the process, and Boston is out-scoring opponents by 7.6 points per 100 possessions in home playoff games.
How to make Warriors vs. Celtics picks
For Game 4 of the NBA Finals 2022, Cimini is leaning under on the point total, but he also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's only sharing what it is, and which side of the Warriors vs. Celtics spread to back, at SportsLine.
So who wins Celtics vs. Warriors? And which side of the spread is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Warriors vs. Celtics spread you need to jump on, all from the expert that has crushed his NBA picks, and find out.
