Dub Nation HQ Rooting Guide: Eastern Finals Game 7, plus open thread

And the Finals opponent is...

You can also read the complete Dub Nation HQ Rooting Guide for Other Teams.

SB Nation GIF @SBNationGIF

STEPH CURRY IS EATING POPCORN

Finals Matchup Considerations

Most observers think the Celtics are a harder matchup for the Warriors because of their abundance of long-armed switchable excellent defenders. Both teams are beat up from the playoff run and this rockfight of an Eastern Finals, though MIA seems more injured. Either team would be a physical, grinding challenge for GSW.

And now on to the petty stuff…

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Miami Heat

Ex-Warriors

• Mychal Mulder. Surprisingly bouncy marksman, he was a role player for the 2020-21 Warriors. Came into 2021-22 on the bubble fighting for the last GSW roster spot with Gary Payton II, Avery Bradley. Then lost his presumed two-way spot to Chris Chiozza. Now on a two-way with MIA so we won’t see him in the playoffs.

• Dewayne Dedmon. Was with the Santa Cruz Warriors and has bounced around since. A chunk of Dub Nation has longed for him for years, pining for the dream cheap competent big man that has beguiled the Warriors all franchise-long.

Friends

• Jimmy Butler. Famously couldn’t get along with the Minnesota Timberwolves management, couldn’t get the most out of Andrew Wiggins through tough love, and caused so much chaos that it forced trades and moves that put MIN in such a dreadful position that MIN had to make a desperation move to keep Karl-Anthony Towns from leaving: the glorious trade of Andrew Wiggins and the 2021 Top 3 protected 1st round pick (#7 Kuminga) for KAT’s pal D’Angelo Russell. Thanks, Jimmy.

Warriors Villains

• None yet.

Petty Rivalries

• Udonis Haslem. Raised a whole fuss about Draymond picking the Celtics to advance.

• P.J. Tucker. Chimed in supporting Haslem’s fussing about Draymond picking the Celtics to advance. Underhyped crucial part of the Houston threat to the Dynasty Warriors. His great defense wore down KD and his timely three-point shooting helped bring GSW to the edge.

Team Grudges

• They did have the annoying LeBron / Wade / Bosh Super Friends team, but that one horribly underperformed so much that it provided some entertainment. Dwyane Wade has been pretty cool in retirement, and they also got dumped by LeBron after he strip-mined the town, so it’s hard to hold a grudge. They also gave the Lakers a scare last year despite a rash of Heat injures.

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Boston Celtics

Ex-Warriors

• None.

Friends

• Steph Curry and Jayson Tatum seem to have some mutual respect.

Warriors Villains

• Marcus Smart. Reckless play injured Steph Curry and nearly took him out for the year.

Petty Rivalries

• Ex-GM Danny Ainge started a Boston tradition of announcing after every big NBA trade that he offered a better package that was rejected.
  
  UPDATE (5/27): Ainge also made the baffling and factually incorrect statement that he’d never heard of Celtics fans being racist in 26 years.

Titus Anjawnicus @jimadair3

Breaking: Danny Ainge has never spoken to Marcus Smart

• Jaylen Brown went to Cal if you care about that. Abaddon writes: in the great Steph/Kyrie duel in 2018(?) Steph was seen visibly flapping his right hand at Brown after hitting a three over and around his defense. He also was jawing at Brown. It was a while ago and I’m not sure if there’s been anything since, but it is so rare to see Steph directly taunting someone that it sticks out in my memory.

Team Grudges

• Isaiah Thomas played through his sister’s death and various injuries at the cost of his career and was immediately dumped by BOS for Kyrie Irving. Pretty shocking move even if the league’s motto is “It’s Just A Business”.

• Celtics fans talk a lot about their many championships, omitting the fact that they’ve won 1 championship since 1986, and most of the previous ones came from Red Auerbach ripping off other hobbyist owners when the league was eight teams that could barely get a highlight on TV.

… so, who are you rooting for?