The Golden State Warriors are the first team to punch their ticket to the 2022 NBA Finals, giving them the best chance to win the championship. With the Boston Celtics expected to join them, the opening odds for the series will be close to even.

A few hours after eliminating the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, the Warriors have -120 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook to beat the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals. The exact Finals result of Boston over Golden State has +140 odds before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

If Boston wins the East, those odds will move further in the Celtics’ direction. According to Westgate SuperBook vice president Jay Kornegay, the sportsbook has a Warriors-Celtics Finals close to a pick’em.

The Celtics are heavy -420 favorites to defeat the Heat in Game 6 and clinch a spot in the NBA Finals. Boston has won three of the last four games in the series. Miami’s offense has struggled mightily against the league’s top defense. Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, and Tyler Herro are all dealing with injuries for the Heat.

If Miami pulls off the upset and wins the next two games, Golden State will likely be a decided favorite in the Finals. Trailing the Celtics 3-2, the Heat have +3000 odds to beat the Warriors for the championship.

The Warriors are in the NBA Finals for the sixth time in the last eight seasons. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green have a 3-2 record in the Finals. The Warriors won two championships with Kevin Durant on the roster, only losing in 2019 when the superstar was limited to one game in the series because of an injury.

Curry won the inaugural Western Conference Finals MVP award. The point guard averaged 23.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game against the Mavericks. Thompson averaged 18.6 points and made eight three-pointers in the series clincher.

Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins weren’t part of the Warriors’ championship teams, but both players have been key contributors in the 2022 playoff run. Poole is shooting 53.1% from the field and 39.3% from three-point range this postseason. Wiggins’ defense on Luka Doncic helped Golden State defeat Dallas in quick fashion.

Under head coach Steve Kerr, the Warriors have won 21 of their 23 playoff series.

Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors
Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors Getty Images | Thearon W. Henderson