Celtics Or Heat? Draymond Green Predicts Warriors’ NBA Finals Opponent

Draymond Green wouldn’t reveal who he’d like to face in the NBA Finals after the Golden State Warriors eliminated the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday night.

The Warriors star did, however, offer a prediction for the remainder of the Eastern Conference finals between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.

“If you’re asking me who I want to play, I’m going to tell you who I think we’re going to play,” Green said on TNT’s postgame coverage. “We’re going to play Boston.”

The Celtics and Heat will square off in Game 6 on Friday night at TD Garden. The C’s won Game 5 on Wednesday night at FTX Arena to take a 3-2 series lead.

Boston is a rather-sizable favorite for Friday’s showdown, having flexed its muscle at various points in the best-of-seven series and holding home-court advantage with Miami facing elimination. But the Heat were the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed for a reason. The Celtics’ job is far from over.

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“I think both teams are tough,” Green said. “Boston causes problems, especially offensively. Their defense is incredible.”

A Celtics-Warriors NBA Finals would be fascinating on many levels. Golden State is looking to return to the league’s mountaintop now that its core — Green, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson — is back intact, while Boston’s stars — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — are looking to start a legacy of their own.

The Celtics have played the Warriors tough in recent years, even when Golden State has been at its peak. A matchup with the Larry O’Brien Trophy hanging in the balance certainly wouldn’t be light on entertainment value.