Warriors vs. Celtics prediction, picks, odds, spread, line for Game 3 of the 2022 NBA Finals

After an interesting start to the 2022 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics, the action shifts to Boston for a crucial Game 3 on Wednesday night. In the 39 finals where there was a 1-1 draw, the team that won Game 3 won the title 82.1 percent of the time.

So this is a borderline must-win for both teams. Will the Warriors be able to go to Boston and reclaim home field advantage? Or will the Celtics remain perfect after a playoff loss and take control of the series at home? Our experts have made their selection and the overwhelming majority ride with the team in green.

How to watch game 3 live

• Game: NBA Finals Game 2
• date: Wednesday 8 June | time: 9 p.m. ET
• location: TD Garden—Boston, Massachusetts
• TV: ABC | Live broadcast: fuboTV (Access now)
• Opportunities: GS +140; BOS-160; O/U 212.5 (via Caesars Sportsbook)

Celtics vs. Warriors Prediction, Game 3 Picks

Bill Rider: Boston is reveling in the fact that it’s home, non-stars for Golden State like Jordan Poole continue to struggle and Steph Curry’s individual excellence isn’t enough to regain home field advantage. Choice: Boston -3.5 | Celtics 111, Warriors 101

Brad Botkins: I will continue to choose the Celtics because I believe they are the better team, albeit marginally. The return of Gary Payton II gives Boston a defender less to target, but Jordan Poole will still get about 20 minutes and Boston will be chasing him with their scorers. I like Boston’s custom creation better. I like Boston’s defense better. There’s a heavy load on Stephen Curry’s shoulders as the Warriors have become pick-and-roll-heavy, and Klay Thompson is nowhere near showing the support he once had. When Poole loses minutes for defensive reasons, that burden becomes even heavier for Curry. Forget the home crowd who will go crazy in Boston. give me the green Choice: Boston -3.5 | Celtics 111, Warriors 105

James Herbert: How to know when the Celtics offense will collapse? Just when you think you’ve got your sales woes behind you seem to get sloppy again. If you have a penchant for Boston, though, then there’s good news: This team didn’t lose two games in a row in the playoffs, and some of their best offensive performances were followed by some of their worst. I expect the Celtics to have better distance and make better decisions against the Warriors’ half-court defense. Choice: Boston -3.5 | Celtics 116, Warriors 108

Sam Quinn: Part of me wants to take Golden State as a tribute to Boston’s lackluster home performance this postseason. The Celtics have won 3-4 in the last two rounds in Boston and have survived so far this postseason on the basis of their eight wins away from home. If you’re expecting home field advantage to steer the series toward Boston, you might be disappointed. But if you’re looking for basketball reasons to take on the Celtics? You will find enough. Let’s start with an obvious one: Boston lost Daniel Theis’ seven minutes in Game 2 by a whopping 12 points. It received just four points from Al Horford and Marcus Smart, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined had more than half of their total points. Expect Boston to come into Game 3 with a tighter rotation and an updated game plan for Golden State’s pick-and-roll offense. Choice: Boston -3.5 | Celtics 99, Warriors 92

Jasmine Wimbish: Both teams react very well to defeats. The Celtics are 6-0 after a loss this postseason and the Warriors are not too far behind at 5-0 in the playoffs. Not only do these teams excel at bounce-back games, but they also dominate their opponents in the process. Golden State outperforms teams by 15.4 points after a loss, while Boston beats teams by 15.5 points after a loss. I’m saying all of this to say that I’m picking the Celtics to bounce back from that Game 2 blowout and take a 2-1 lead in the series. Choice: Boston -3.5 | Celtics 116, Warriors 103

Jack Maloney: The Celtics’ pick for all the reasons everyone else here has already outlined. This team can be difficult to understand at times, but this much has become clear: they always respond to adversity. You will be ready to go into game 3. Choice: Boston -3.5 | Celtics 114, Warriors 100

colin Ward Henninger: The Warriors have beaten the Celtics in each of the first two games of the series with typical third-quarter runs, but I’m a little skeptical they’ll make it again in Boston’s first home final game in Boston in over a decade. The return of Gary Payton II is a crucial card for Steve Kerr, but ultimately, if the Celtics reduce their turnovers and occasional directionless offense, I think they will win. Let the seesaw matchup continue. Choice: Boston -3.5 | Celtics 99, Warriors 92

Michael Kaskey-Blomain: If the Warriors hadn’t completely collapsed in the fourth quarter of Game 1, this series would very likely be 2-0 right now and feel very different. Sure, you could say that Boston’s roleplayers will play better at home in Game 3 than they did in Game 2, but the Warriors also have some key contributors who could play better, and they also have the best player of the series in Steph Curry. I don’t think playing on the street in front of a hostile crowd is going to shake this team. In fact, I think the silence of the crowd might even serve as additional motivation for the seasoned warriors. Selection: Golden State +3.5 | Warriors 105, Celtics 98