Game 1 of the NBA Finals offered plenty of ups and downs and a shocking ending to the contest. Steph Curry got off to a blistering start, setting a Finals record with six triples in the first quarter and scoring 21 points in the opening frame. The Dubs were up by 12 heading into the fourth quarter before Boston blitzed Golden State with 40 points and turned a 12-point deficit into a 12-point victory.
This Finals represents a convergence of up-and-coming players and an established dynasty with multiple Hall-of-Famers. Golden State is playing in its sixth Finals of the last eight years, while Boston and its young core have guided the Celtics to their first Finals in 12 years. With at least three more games remaining, there are legacies on the line for players and storied franchises alike. Let’s get into them!
Stephen Curry
Curry passed Ray Allen for most three’s made this season, and he went on to eclipse 3,000 before season’s end, becoming the first player in league history to hit that milestone. The greatest shooter of all time, Curry effectively morphed the NBA into a shooter’s league and inspired a new generation of players to focus on developing their jumpshots.
Curry is undeniably a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, but there’s still a way for him to improve his legacy. Curry has three championships to his name, but Andre Iguodala won Finals MVP in 2015, Draymond Green was on track to win the award if Golden State beat Cleveland in 2016 and Kevin Durant captured the award in 2017 and 2018. Curry has never won a Finals MVP, and adding the award to his collection would be a tremendous accomplishment. Winning Finals MVP this season would be particularly poetic as this is the Warriors’ first trip to the Finals since Durant left, and Durant’s Nets were swept in the first round by Golden State’s Finals opponent, the Boston Celtics. A ring this year would give Curry four, the same number as LeBron James and the most by any active player. Make no mistake, that’s a huge deal.
Klay Thompson
The other half of the Splash Brothers has established himself as a player with arguably the best ability to get hot in NBA history. He holds the record for most points in a quarter with 37, most triples in a single game at 14, and one of only two players in NBA history to hit at least 10 triples in a single playoff game (Damian Lillard). The last time we saw Thompson in the playoffs prior to this season, he famously checked himself back into Game 6 of the NBA Finals and hit two free throws after tearing his ACL. Toronto went on to win the game and the championship, and Thompson missed the following two seasons due to the ACL and a subsequent Achilles tear. He’s a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer, but winning a fourth ring with Golden State after missing two seasons due to two major injuries would cement his legacy as an all-time clutch competitor and one of the toughest players the game has ever seen.
Draymond Green
Green is likely headed for the Hall of Fame already, but another ring certainly wouldn’t hurt his resume. The veteran set the stage for a new group of players coming in to the NBA who could pass, rebound and defend at an elite level without needing to score. The so-called “glue” of Golden State’s dynasty, Green has consistently done the dirty work on a team that’s made a name for itself thanks to elite perimeter scoring. He also brought about the modern era “small ball” lineup by playing center for Golden State’s famed “Death Lineup” of Curry, Thompson, Green, Iguodala and Harrison Barnes.
Green was gunning for Finals MVP in 2016, when he averaged 16.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 2.7 stocks and 2.2 triples while shooting 48.6% from the floor. He finished Game 7 with 32 points, 15 rebounds and nine dimes, and the points remain his most ever scored in a single game. Green isn’t remembered for his elite play in that series, however, as his kick to LeBron James’ groin cost him Game 6 in a series the Warriors lost in 7 to become the only team in Finals history to give up a 3-1 series lead. If he can capture another ring while playing at a high level, his ticket to Springfield should be punched.
Jayson Tatum
Tatum is firmly in the conversation as one of the NBA’s current 10 best players with a real argument that he’s in the top-5. Though he’s had some major peaks and valleys in this year’s playoffs in terms of scoring, he can go off on any given night. Tatum has three 40-point playoff games in his career, and he’s one of just six Boston players to score 50 in a playoff game. Down 3-2 against Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference semis, he erupted for 46 to lead Boston to victory and averaged 27/10/6 over the final four games of the Eastern Conference Finals. Can he break through in Year 5 and take down one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history?
Al Horford
Horford has had a solid career as a durable and reliable big man in stints with Atlanta, Philly and twice with Boston. His 141 playoff games without a Finals appearance is an NBA record, and the veteran certainly made the most of his opportunity with a record-setting Game 1 performance. Horford scored 26 points, including 11 in the decisive fourth quarter, and his six threes are the most ever in a Finals debut. A pretty fitting record to achieve against the Warriors, no?
Horford has averaged 13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.0 stocks in his career, and he’s added longevity thanks to a high basketball IQ, stellar defense and the addition of a three-point game to his arsenal. Horford has five All-Star selections and an All-NBA third team under his belt. He’s not likely to make it into the HOF with his current resume, but a Finals ring and excellent performance would certainly put him in the conversation. Will a win be enough to put him over the top, or will he need a win and Finals MVP?
Boston Celtics
The Celtics haven’t been to the Finals since 2010, and Boston hasn’t won one since the Big 3 of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce defeated the Lakers 4-2 in 2008. Boston has had some great teams over the last six seasons with stints from Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, but the team has never gotten over the hump. Boston came into the Finals with a 123-0 disadvantage in Finals games experience, with all of Klay, Steph and Draymond having appeared in five straight Finals with Golden State and Andre Iguodala having appeared in four with the Warriors and one with the Heat. Could this be a changing of the guard and the beginning of a new dynasty similar to what we saw with Michael Jordan and the Bull’s 1991 win over Magic Johnson’s Lakers?
Boston is one of the few teams in the NBA to have drafted and crafted a championship-caliber roster rather than primarily relying on trades and free-agent signings. The core of Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart were all drafted as were key contributors like Robert Williams, Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard. The Celtics recently parted moved Danny Ainge into an executive position, promoted Brad Stevens to GM and hired former player Ime Udoka as head coach. The moves in management certainly seem to have paid off, and this roster is set up to win for many years to come. A title in the next two weeks could be the jumping-off point.
Golden State Warriors
LeBron James went to eight straight Finals from 2011-2018, but Golden State has sustained elite playoff success as well. Steph and Co. established a dynasty with five straight appearances from 2015-2019, and this year’s trip marks a sixth appearance in eight seasons. In a league that’s become increasingly mobile, continuing to get to the Finals year after year is an incredible feat.
The only two years that Golden State missed the Finals in that span (2020 and 2021) came with Klay Thompson on the sidelines. That Golden State made it back the first year he was healthy, is a testament to his impact and what the trio of he, Steph and Draymond can still do. Just like Boston, Golden State has built this team through excellent drafting and development. In addition to the aforementioned trio, the Warriors found late-first-round gems in Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney who made key contributions during the regular season and are making a major impact in the playoffs. Poole, the 28th pick in 2019, averaged 18.5 points and 2.8 triples in his third season while filling in for Klay. Looney, the 30th pick in 2015, took on the largest workload of his career this season and has pulled down 12 boards per game over his last seven.
Golden State might have something left in the tank for a Finals run beyond this season, but as mentioned above, getting to and winning the title are ridiculously difficult. Opportunities are likely dwindling for Golden State’s aging trio who are all at least 32 years old. A championship in 2022 could be the final triumphant chapter of an incredible dynasty.
