NBA Finals Free Pick- Cleveland at Golden State Game 1

Oddsmakers Like Warriors in NBA Finals

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors are set to meet in the NBA Finals for the third-straight season. This year’s best-of-seven showdown tips things off with Game 1 tonight at Oracle Arena in a 9 p.m. (ET) start on ABC. BetAnySports has opened the Warriors as seven-point favorites and the betting line for the total has been set at 224.5.

The only blemish on Cleveland’s record in its run to a third-straight Eastern Conference title was a loss to Boston in Game 3 of the conference finals. The Cavaliers went 12-1 straight-up through the first three rounds of the playoffs. They have a 7-4-2 record against the spread. The total went OVER BetAnySports’ closing line in nine of the 13 games. They were a perfect 7-0 SU on the road while going 5-0-2 ATS.

The trio of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love deserve most of the credit for Cleveland’s postseason success so far. James has led the way with 32.5 points per game. He averaged 26.4 points in the regular season. Irving is scoring 24.5 PPG. Love is adding 17.2 points and 10.4 rebounds to the winning cause. The Cavaliers are averaging 116.8 PPG in the playoffs and shooting 50.7 percent from the field.

Cavs Look to Stop GSW Playoff Winning Streak in NBA Finals

Golden State will bring a perfect 12-0 SU record into this series after sweeping Portland, Utah and San Antonio in its first three rounds of the playoffs. The Warriors went 8-4 ATS during this extended winning streak and the total went OVER in nine of the 12 games. They were just 2-4 ATS in six playoff games at home after closing as double-digit favorite with BetAnySports in all six games.

Stephen Curry has been Golden State’s leading scorer in the playoffs with an average of 28.6 PPG, but Kevin Durant was a close second with 25.2 points while shooting a blistering 55.6 percent from the field. Klay Thompson (14.4 points) and Draymond Green (13.9 points) have also played key roles in this run as a part of a team scoring average of 118.3 PPG. The Warriors connected on 50.2 percent of their shots in those three series’ sweeps.

This should be another great series between the NBA’s top two powers. However, I am leaning towards Golden State minus the seven points with BetAnySports to take the early edge with the Game 1 win both SU and ATS.

 

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