NBA Finals Betting: Warriors at Cavaliers
The 2015 NBA Finals is shaping up to be a good ol’ fashioned street fight between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. The teams split Games 1 and 2 with both being decided in overtime. The Cavs were in trouble after falling in Game 1 and losing Kyrie Irving to a busted kneecap. But as he so often does, LeBron James tied his teammates to his broad shoulders and delivered his second triple-double of the playoffs to lift the Cavs to a crucial Game 2 victory, thus capturing home court advantage as they prepare for tonight’s pivotal Game 3 in Cleveland. Golden State is 5-2 on the road in the postseason, but a loss here wouldn’t be devastating. They did overcome a 2-1 deficit versus the Grizzlies in the Western Conference semifinals. That said, slipping too far behind a LeBron led team isn’t advisable. Here’s a preview and prediction for Game 3.
GOLDEN STATE AT CLEVELAND -1
The reigning MVP has played like anything but through the first two games of the series. After a solid but not spectacular effort last Thursday, Steph Curry dropped a stinker on Sunday, hitting 5-23 from the field, including an abysmal 2-15 from beyond the arc to finish with 19 points and six turnovers. Put simply, Curry needs to wake up or the Warriors will be spending the next five months wondering “what if.” On the plus side, Klay Thompson dropped 34 in Game 2, and Draymond Green racked a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Andre Iguodala is doing his best to limit James, but a strategy built on stopping the planet’s greatest player is a fruitless endeavor. Doing a more effective job on Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson on the glass should be a priority; the duo have combined for 47 rebounds thus far. It would also help the Warriors’ chances if Harrison Barnes stopped being painfully average.
What more can be written or said about LeBron? The guy just finds ways to keep the Cavs alive. Forget about his shooting percentage, which has been downright awful, because he more than makes up for it crashing the boards and distributing to open shooters. And how about that Matthew Dellavedova, who put on a defensive clinic in shutting down Curry in Game 2. He doesn’t bring much to the offense, but his tenacious effort at the other end could end up being the difference in the series. Although, Curry rarely throws up back-to-back flops, so Dellavedova and the rest of the Cavs’ backcourt must be on point to keep him in check. As long as Cleveland continues to keep the Warriors around 100 points, they will have the advantage.
Golden State is 5-1 ATS in its last six against Eastern Conference opponents, and 4-1 ATS in its last five meetings with Cleveland. The Cavs are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 versus the Western Conference. Look for a major Curry correction.
Bet Golden State +1
