The Golden State Warriors have the Boston Celtics on the ropes. After a spirited team effort in Game 5 to take a commanding 3-2 series lead. they stand just one game away from winning the NBA championship.

 

Despite everything, the series has still basically just gone chalk with home-court advantage going the way it's supposed to entering Game 6. With the series shifting back to Boston, the Celtics need to simply defend home-court in order to force Game 6.

But could Game 5 be the death knell on what has been a magical Celtics run to the NBA Finals? There are reasons to believe that the Golden State Warriors could end the series in six before the Cs have time to pick up the pieces from back-to-back losses.

Here are three (3) reasons why the Warriors will finish off Celtics in Game 6 to win 2022 NBA Finals:

*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*

3 reasons Warriors finish off Celtics in Game 6 to win 2022 NBA Finals

#1 – The Celtics took the first haymaker they didn't recover from.

Much was made about both the Celtics and Warriors staying undefeated this postseason in games following a loss. Boston was 7-0 in games after taking the L prior to Monday's clash and the Warriors were riding a 6-0 steak of their own. Both teams held serve throughout the NBA Finals, with the teams alternating wins from Games 1 to 4.

However, the Celtics saw their own sheen of invincibility shattered after suffering their Game 5 loss. Every game is its own individual battle. Boston has thrived as a team able to bounce back from every misstep even when the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat took their best shot at them.

But that same magic, that overwhelming power of resilience didn't show up for Boston in a Game 5 that seemed like a very winnable contest given the circumstances. If the Celtics were to win these NBA Finals, taking a 3-2 lead back home on a night where Stephen Curry was historically mortal seemed like the way it needed to happen. It feels like the strongest indicator that there may not be enough gas left in the tank.

#2 – Stephen Curry revenge game incoming.

Speaking of Stephen Curry, there is a 99.99% chance that he's not missing every single three-point attempt once again in Game 6. That was certainly an all-time cold spell for the Warriors superstar, finishing with just 16 points and going 0-for-9 from distance right after erupting for 43 points in Game 4.

But if the earlier rounds are any indication, Steph Curry is set for a big-time scoring night in Game 6. The Warriors point guard has scored below 20 points just once in each of the first three round. He's answered the call right after every time.

In the three games after Steph Curry scores below 20 points in these playoffs, he's averaging 32.3 points per game and an average of six three-pointers. The Boston Celtics could very well sell out on defending Steph once again and hope he replicates his rock bottom performance. But it's a safer bet that you can pencil in similar numbers from him in Game 6.

#3 – The Warriors are playing with house money.

Perhaps the biggest factor in all this is that the Golden State Warriors they don't need to win yet in Game 6. They've held serve on home-court advantage, will likely get a bounce-back Stephen Curry performance incoming, and have slapped the Cs with their first two-game losing streak of these NBA playoffs.

The deck is stacked in their favor at this point with their opponents having their backs against the wall in Game 6.

The huge difference is that Steph Curry and co. have been here before. Steph, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevon Looney are all ring-bearing veterans. That championship aura has clearly rubbed off on Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins, who have both played like they've been there before as well. 

The Boston Celtics, for all that they've shown thus far, have not been at this level before. They've show resilience and poise at every round leading up to this point but are now coming off back-to-back opportunities to take command of the series, but instead seemingly got out-shined by a Warriors side that did what had to be done to pull off the wins.

The Golden State Warriors know they don't have to win yet. They can play loose and freely as the Celtics try to defend home-court with their season hanging in the balance. That's the perfect atmosphere for Stephen Curry and Game 6 Klay Thompson to come in for the kill.