The 2022 NBA Finals begin with Game 1 between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday. Golden State is favored by 3.5 points at Caesars Sportsbook, while the Over-Under is set at 213.5 (see up-to-date odds for every game this week on our NBA odds page). 

Before making any Celtics vs. Warriors picks, you NEED to check out the NBA predictions from SportsLine expert Zack Cimini.

A Las Vegas handicapper who's never afraid to buck conventional wisdom, Cimini excels in multiple sports. Over the past 34 NBA picks, Cimini is 22-12, returning almost $900 to $100 players. He is also on an amazing 38-16-1 run with his last 55 against-the-spread picks involving the Celtics, returning almost $1,800 to $100 players.

Cimini knows the Celtics have an elite defense. Boston led the NBA in defensive rating and shooting efficiency allowed during the regular season, and that continues in the playoffs. The Celtics are allowing only 1.05 points per possession in the postseason, with opponents shooting only 43.3 percent from the floor against Boston. The Celtics are also yielding only 20.0 assists per game and blocking 6.3 shots per contest during the playoff run. 

He is also aware the Warriors are elite at home. Golden State is unbeaten at Chase Center in the postseason, out-scoring opponents by more than 14 points per 100 possessions. The Warriors are also leading the 2022 NBA playoffs in offensive rating, scoring more than 1.16 points per possession. The Warriors lead the league in assists per game and assist rate in the playoffs, and Golden State is shooting 49.3 percent from the field in the postseason.

Now, Cimini has set his sights on Celtics vs. Warriors. We can tell you he is leaning Under the total, and he also has a STRONG play on the side! You ABSOLUTELY need to see what he has to say before locking in any NBA picks.

Who wins Celtics vs. Warriors? And which side of the spread has all the value? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the Celtics vs. Warriors spread you should be all over Thursday, all from the expert on a roll on NBA picks!