The NBA Finals kicks off on Thursday, June 1, in the Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors have been waiting patiently for the Eastern Conference Finals to wrap up after their sweep of the San Antonio Spurs. With the Cleveland Cavaliers finally defeating the Boston Celtics in 5 games (Boston handed them their only Playoff loss), the highly anticipated rematch is underway. Bettors have several different wagering options for this series.
Oddsmakers and analysts alike have the Warriors as the 2017 NBA Champions. The current odds at the time of this writing depict the Warrior with favorable odds in the NBA betting lines. The Warriors have looked dominant throughout their 12-0 Playoff run, and despite Warriors’ fans hopes, no team has won out during the postseason and the possibility of them doing so against the Cavs is implausible. During this 12-0 run, Stephen Curry has been the driving force behind their success. Kevin Durant missed the early part of the Playoffs with injury but has been playing well since his return. Durant is the biggest question mark of this series, as the Warriors acquired him during the offseason from the Oklahoma City Thunder. His acquisition turned the already dominant Warriors into a super team, one that most believe will reclaim the title of “NBA’s Best” from the Cavs.
Meanwhile, LeBron James has been maintaining his excellent standards, averaging 32 points a game at 56% shooting percentage. He also passed NBA legend Michael Jordan in all-time Playoff scoring. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are the other two parts of the Cavs’ offensive trident and have been playing well throughout the postseason. Other role players include JR Smith, Tristan Thompson, Channing Frye and Kyle Corver. Both teams are stacked with shooters, so the series will likely come down to who can put up the best defensive front.
This is partially why the Warriors are favored. The Cavs’ defense has been shaky at times, which is what led to their only postseason defeat. Containing Curry, Durant and Klay Thompson will be a big problem, plus there is Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala to worry about. The Warriors have their defensive work cut out for them as well. James has been dominant for the entirety of the Playoffs and Irving is considered one of the best ball-handlers in the league—whether he is driving into the paint or putting up his jumper, Irving seems to score at will.
From a betting standpoint, bettors can take the standard route of betting game-to-game. The Warriors are favored to win Game 1 at home, and the home teams will likely be the favorites in each matchup. The point spread is set to 7 points for Game 1. You can also bet the moneyline or place an over/under bet on the total points scored by an individual team. If you are feeling confident, you can place a future bet on who will win the series now. Again, the Warriors are favored to win, though this series could go into 7 games again. There will be individual prop bets that vary per game, such as who will be up at halftime, etc. These wagering types allow bettors to place more bets on a single game. Betting lines are available through offshore sportsbooks covering the NBA finals. Once you have placed your bet(s), get ready to enjoy some potentially historical basketball.