Kyrie Irving (background) and Kevin Love should help Lebron James and the Cavs better challenge Steph Curry this time around.
Despite a long and grueling Western Conference Finals battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Las Vegas sees the Golden State Warriors as decided favorites to win the NBA Finals over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Westgate SuperBook opened the Warriors as -185 favorites to win the finals and a 5.5-point favorite in Game 1. The Warriors odds are now -210.
It took Golden State all 7 games to defeat the Thunder. Despite that, the Warriors are on a 3-game winning streak, after returning from a 3-1 deficit to win the series.
The Thunder had 2 of the best 5 players on the planet, though, and had rebuilt the rest of their lineup after the James Harden trade 3 years ago.
Golden State Warriors in 2016 Playoffs
Stephon Curry looked beaten up through the first 2 and 1/2 rounds of play in the NBA Playoffs. Without Curry at full speed, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green looked vulnerable at times. Despite all the factors working against the defending NBA champions, they came through in three straight games when their season was on the line.
NBA fans are not betting against the Warriors. Hours after Jeff Sherman of the Westgate SuperBook tweeted odds of -185 for the Warriors and +165 for the Cavs, he had to adjust those scores significantly. Everyone seemed to be betting on the champions.
Now the odds sit at -210 for the Warriors and +180 for the Cavaliers. The Super Book’s odds mirror those of other top sportsbooks. According to Vegas Insider, Willliam Hill, Wynn Las Vegas, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, and CG Technology all have the Warriors as -209 or -210 favorites. BetOnline has Golden State as -220 and a 5.5 favorite in Game 1.
Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers were Golden State’s opponent in the 2015 NBA Finals. At the time, the Cavs played without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving (who left late in a Game 1 win). Lebron James was a superior player throughout the 6-game series, but he did not have enough talent around him to beat the Warriors.
Based on the assumption that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are back and healthy, the Cavaliers should provide a much stiffer test for the Warriors this time around. The Cavs were up 2-1 in the series last year, until the superior depth and talent of the Warriors pulled out the series.
Kyrie Irving is a better player than he was a year ago, anyway. Kevin Love, though he still looks lost at times, has had big moments in these playoffs. The Cavaliers began the Eastern Conference Playoffs on a 10-0 run, before losing two games in Toronto. After the Raptors pulled even in the Eastern Conference Finals (2-2), the Cavaliers had two strong games to finish them out. With Tyron Lue as the Cavs’ coach (instead of David Blatt), the team appears cohesive and ready to make a more realistic challenge for the NBA title than they did last year.
Why the Warriors Will Win
On paper, the Cavs are better. The Golden State Warriors should be better, too. Almost the entire roster and coaching staff have the experience of winning a world title. They have gone a year as the champions, and are thus more certain of their ability and dominance than they could have been a year ago. They won 73 games, so they play to establish themselves as the greatest NBA team in history. Others might argue differently, but a win in the NBA Finals makes their case arguable.
Why the Warriors Might Lose
At the same time, the playoffs have shown that top-tier NBA teams are starting to figure out ways to defend the Warriors. Other teams (including the Cavs) might be hungrier. Steph Curry has gotten a number of nagging injuries, he has a long history of ankle problems, and this is a second-straight late run in the NBA postseason. The Warriors are not as dominant now as they were in the 2016 regular season.
Though the Warriors beat the Cavs three straight times to close out the 2015 NBA Finals, even the biggest Golden State fan is likely to concede this Cleveland squad is better suited to challenge them. The Cavs appear to have better intangibles and better talent in 2016, so an upset is not out of the question. Betting $100 to get $280 is not a bad bet this year.
Tips on Moneyline Betting
A moneyline bet takes handicapping out of the bet. Instead of betting against a point spread, players only need wager on which team they think is going to win. A minus (-) designation shows the favorite, who gets less money than wagered on a winning bet. A plus (+) designation shows the underdog, who gets more money than wagered for a winning bet.
If you bet on a -210 favorite, you must wager $210 in order to win $100. Gamblers betting on the Warriors would receive back $310, if the Warriors won the series ($210 for their original bet plus $100 for the winnings). If you bet on a +180 favorite, you must wager $100 in order to win $180. In this case, a gambler betting on the Cavaliers would receive back $280, if the Cavs won ($100 for the bet plus $180 in winnings).
This means the Golden State Warriors are big favorites, though not prohibitive ones. Many moneyline wagers are known to have +500 propositions, +1000 propositions, or even higher betting options. Las Vegas and the betting public see the Warriors as a big favorite, but not as a cinch bet.
