More than the sheer excitement of the game, the NBA Finals 2017 showdown featuring the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers also offer the opportunity to earn some bucks. While rooting for a team and getting entertained in the process, it pays to know where to best place the bet and the odds of both winning and losing.
Winner of the Larry O'Brien Trophy
Analysts have long predicted that the Warriors and Cavs will face for the third time (and likely there will be more of the same treat in the next few years) but it's hard to tell which team will emerge the victor. The first face off turned out favorable for GSW but Cleveland exacted revenge last year so for the third outing, which team enjoys the advantage?
When the chief factor for winning is talent, Bleacher Report said it's clear that the Warriors have the edge as bettors only need to be reminded that when a lineup is composed of Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green with deep bench support then the odds are high for Golden State.
But betting for GSW when the team is the early favorite will also mean not too big payoff to collect. It might be risky to place the money on the underdog but if that team would be the Cavs with King James on the lead then the bet is certainly a calculated risk.
Game 1
To be sure, among the popular prop bets is who will win Game 1. GSW are playing host and home court advantage in NBA is not a solid assurance of a win but it minimizes the probability of losing so the Warriors has to be the easy pick. Again, the pay may not be too high but it's fairly a sure bet.
Total points
Which team will produce the most points? When betting, it seems natural to only consider which of the teams prove as an offensive machine. But truth to be told, defense equally matters. It may be that the talented Warriors can easily chalk up 114 points, for instance, but playing against the Cavaliers with solid emphasis on defense things will not be easy offensively.
As recalled by Bleacher Report, during the NBA Finals last year Curry was checked by the Cavs' defensive tactics and as a result sniping proved difficult for the ace player unlike in the regular and playoff games. In the end, both aspects of the game that won the day for Cleveland.
The point is, the Warriors are mostly prolific scorers but it's always a different setting when it comes to the Finals.
Finals MVP
So who will be the best player to emerge when the NBA Finals is over and done with? The latest from OddsShark showed the ranking below:
- Stephen Curry +210
- Kevin Durant +210
- LeBron James +260
- Draymond Green +550
- Kyrie Irving +1600
- Klay Thompson +2000
- Kevin Love +3300
And to be sure, the placements will see changes as the series progresses. As advised by Bleacher Report, "the trick to this particular bet is to decide which team you believe is going to win before the series begins." But take note that the odds of the particular player will go down when his team closes in for the win. If Durant for instance will take charge of GSW and the team erects a hard-to-surmount 3-1 lead then his favorable odds will whittle down.
But in the same scenario and the Warriors win, Durant will most likely capture the Finals MVP, and the payoff will not be too handsome for bettors.
