Flush with joy following Golden State's Western Conference finals' series-clinching win over Dallas last Thursday night, Warriors veteran forward Draymond Green was asked by TNT analyst and Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal which team he expected to face in the NBA Finals - Boston or Miami.
Said Green, knowing that the Celtics led the Heat by 3-2 at that moment in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final: "We're gonna play Boston."
Green was right, as it turned out, though Miami did force a seventh game before losing on Sunday night.
But could this also become a case of being careful what you wish for when the Celtics and Warriors begin their best-of-seven Finals on Thursday night at Golden State?
Not that Green had any choice in the matter, but would Miami have been an easier opponent for the Warriors than the Celtics?
Yes, Green's Warriors have a number of advantages against the Celtics. No. 1, the nucleus of the team - Green, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson - has already won three Larry O'Brien Trophies while these current Celtics, despite owning 17 world championships throughout their storied history, have won none.
And to retrieve an old line from Rick Pitino when he coached Boston: "Larry Bird's not walking through that door" in time to suit up for the Big Green prior to Game 1, or any other game for that matter, though it would be nice to see the Celts return to their old tradition of black sneakers instead of the multiple colors they display these days.
(Side note: the late arrogant genius Red Auerbach first put the Celts in black sneakers because he thought it made them look slower than they were.)
Beyond that, Golden State owns the home court advantage, and is far more rested than Boston, which had to win two seven-game series against Miami and Milwaukee to reach the Finals.
Yet the Celtics also have some notable advantages on the Warriors, beginning with overall height. The Celtics will be as tall or taller at every position among the starters, beginning with NBA defensive player of the year Marcus Smart (6-4) guarding the 6-2 Curry.
Boston defensive demon Robert Williams should also cause Golden State's lethal cuts to the basket much difficulty by both his shot blocking and shot altering. He repeatedly intimidated Miami's Heat when he was on the floor and the Heat and Warriors are similar in overall height.
And Williams - who is somewhat limited offensively - has been a wicked good free throw shooter of late. After shooting just 47% from the foul line at Texas A&M his second and final season with the Aggies, he's hitting a stunning 91% of his free throws during this year's playoffs. So fouling him in an attempt to stop his dunks and putbacks would not be wise.
Nor is Robert Williams the only Williams that Golden State must worry about, since former Tennessee Vol Grant Williams has joined Boston's regular rotation as a reliable defender, rebounder and clutch 3-point shooter.
This isn't to say Golden State can't or won't win. When the Warriors are clicking, they're the most fun team to watch in the NBA, an offensive fun house, none more than Curry.
Boston, though, actually averaged more points during the regular season than the Warriors (111.8 to 111.0) and gave up fewer points (104.5 to 105.5). And though the two teams split their two regular-season games, each winning on the opponent's home court, the Celtics crushed GS on the road, winning 110-88, while the Warriors nipped Boston in Beantown by a 111-107 score.
There's also this: While Curry, Thompson and Jordan Poole can certainly bomb away from afar, the Celts' dynamic duo of wings Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum might be the best one-two punch in the league, having averaged a combined 50 points in the playoffs alone, with Tatum accounting for 27 of those each night.
Throw in the wildcard off the bench in Boston reserve Derrick White - who did so much to cool down the Heat - with his own 3-point shooting and defense and it's more and more feasible to see Celtic Green win this thing.
Earlier this week, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said of Curry that he expected him to win two of the next three NBA titles on his way to five total world championship rings, which would tie him with Magic Johnson, move him one ahead of LeBron James and two ahead of Larry Bird.
"Steph Curry is that dude," said Smith. "I believe he is going to wind up with five (world) championships. I believe he is going to win two of the next three and pass LeBron."
And Smith may well be right. The Warriors should be even better next year with a healthy James Wiseman to roam the middle, a healthy Gary Payton II to hound opposing guards as few can and a fully recovered Thompson to hit the 3-pointer the way he did before he missed almost three full seasons due to injuries.
But this year is not next year or the year after that. This is the year Boston moves one ahead of LeBron's Lakers for the most championships in NBA history, the Celtics about to claim No. 18 to the Lakers' 17.
Make it Big Green in six, Boston's size and defense, especially the defense of Robert Williams, too much for Golden State to overcome.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.