The Warriors and Celtics bring contrasting strengths
The NBA Finals begin tonight and the teams will be known, although some faces do not. The Golden State Warriors played each final from 2015 to 2019 and returned after a few years.
The Boston Celtics haven't made it in ten years, but are making their 22nd trip to the finals as a franchise.
It's a battle between the glaring attack and the defense of the Molochians - Cuisinart against the lumberjack, as David Thorpe of True Hoop says - both of which have intensified since the start of the playoffs.
No team is popular here - according to WGBH, the Celtics have a sad balance of 20-21 in the middle of the season and the Warriors are the only ones. 3 seed in the West.
But the Warriors are strong in their fight against Ja Morant's Memphis Grizzlies and Luka Doncic's Dallas Mavericks.
The Celtics, on the other hand, swept the entire Brooklyn Nets in the first round and showed incredible strength against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat, NPR's Tom Goldman told the Morning Edition.
"They have won three eliminations, won seven road races - including Sunday in Miami, to earn promotion to the finals," Goldman said.
"Home court advantage [is] such a big deal in the NBA playoffs, and to overcome that seven times? That's impressive."