NBA Finals

Gov. Baker, California Gov. Make NBA Finals Bet

Governors Charlie Baker and Gavin Newsom have placed a friendly wager on the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors

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Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is feeling confident the Boston Celtics will win banner No. 18 this season -- and that was before the team's impressive win in Game 3 at TD Garden to take a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

Prior to tipoff Wednesday night, Baker told California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a tweet that the Celtics are going to be the next winners of the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy.

Baker asked Newsom to place a friendly bet on the series, saying Newsom will wear a C's jersey of Baker's choosing when Boston beats the Golden State Warriors. He didn't say which jersey -- maybe Jayson Tatum? Jaylen Brown? Marcus Smart? Or could it be Al Horford?

Should the Warriors win, though, Baker said he will wear a Golden State jersey of Newsom's choice.

Seems like a reasonable deal.

Less than an hour later, Newsom responded that he'd take the bet, noting that his choice for Baker is a Steph Curry jersey.

This isn’t the first time that Newsom and Baker have made a wager on their hometown professional sports teams. In 2019, the two governors made a similar bet on the outcome of the Super Bowl, with each promising to wear one of the other's team's jerseys and to also volunteer time at a local charity.

Baker said he was looking forward to a California charity "reaping the benefits of yet another championship for New England," while Newsom said he was confident that Massachusetts residents would be "crying in their chowder."

As New Englanders fondly remember, the Patriots beat the Rams 13-3 that year, so Newsom ended up serving lunch at a Sacramento food kitchen while wearing a Tom Brady jersey.

Just as the Pats did three years ago, Baker is hoping the Celtics can help him pull off another successful bet this year.

Boston is back in action Friday night for Game 4 at TD Garden, and the Celtics will look to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series before it shifts back to San Francisco.

Let's hope we won't be seeing Baker in a Curry jersey any time soon.

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