As the 2022 NBA Finals tip off, one of its original franchises is set to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors have played all 76 NBA seasons, beginning in 1946-47. In fact, the Warriors won the first NBA championship (as the Philadelphia Warriors).
Meanwhile, the Celtics are in position to win their record-setting 18th NBA championship, which would break a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most titles.
The Warriors are seeking their fourth NBA championship in eight seasons and seventh overall.
Here are some key trivia, ahead of the best-of-seven summit clash -
Head-to-Head History: Celtics faced Warriors only once before in the NBA Finals - where Celtics emerged victorious. The 1964 championship series was won by Celtics in five games.
The Stuff of Legend: Stephen Curry will join an exclusive list of greats if he wins his 4th NBA championship to go with his 2 MVPs. The other members of this rarefied club are all-time greats - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Bill Russell.
Staying Power: Golden State Warriors are the first team to reach the NBA Finals six times in an eight-season span since the Chicago Bulls from 1990-91 - 1997-98.
Milestone Watch: Golden State guard Klay Thompson needs two three-pointers to pass LeBron James (432) for second place in playoff history, trailing teammate Stephen Curry (530).
New on the Scene: No player on the Celtics' roster has ever played in the NBA Finals before. Boston is looking to accomplish what the Milwaukee Bucks did last season: win the NBA championship without a player on the roster with previous NBA Finals experience. The Warriors also won it all in the 2014-15 season with no previous NBA Finals experience.
Auspicious Debut: Ime Udoka has led Boston to the NBA Finals in his first season as an NBA head coach. He has a chance to become the fourth person in the last eight years to win an NBA championship as a rookie head coach, joining Steve Kerr (2014-15 season), Tyronn Lue (2015-16) and Nick Nurse (2018-19).
Thrill of the Chase: Chase Center in San Francisco will host the NBA Finals for the first time. The arena opened in 2019. Prior to that, the Warriors played 47 seasons in Oakland. Golden State has not lost at Chase Center in the 2022 NBA Playoffs (9-0).
Worth the Wait: Boston forward-center Al Horford's first NBA Finals appearance has been a long time coming. A 15-year veteran with 13 seasons of playoff experience, Horford has played more playoff games without appearing in the NBA Finals than any player in league history (141 playoff games).
( With inputs from ANI )
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