NBA Championship Game 1 Spread, Line, Total
Its finally time for the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers to kick off Game 1 of their best of seven series that will determine the NBA Champions.
The Warriors are solid favorites in both the spread and the odds thanks to their momentum and home court advantage. They have a -5.5 point spread to cover. Golden State was the best team in the NBA in the regular season. Through the playoffs they have been stellar. They are 12-3 straight up against the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets. Over their 15 playoff games they have covered seven times.
The moneyline with the Warriors sitting at -230 and the Cavs sitting at +190 has the Cavs as 2-1 underdogs. That is a great value for that team. LeBron James is playing at his best and the teams are on a seven game winning streak after taking the final three games against the Chicago Bulls and sweeping the Atlanta Hawks. Â The Heat have also won against the spread in four of their last five games.
The game’s total is sitting at 204 points. Most bettors are leaning toward the UNDER in this game for many reasons. First, the Warriors trend toward the UNDER. They have hit UNDER in a whopping 10 of their last 12 games. The Heat have hit the UNDER in their last four games on the road. Both teams are also coming off at least a week layover. Shooting rust is bound to be a factor. Both teams have been stepping up their defense as well, which should see a low-scoring affair at least for Game 1.
Potential X-factors in the game are the ongoing injuries both sides of the court are dealing with. Kyrie Irving missed two game in the Cavs’ series against the Hawks and is listed as probable, while Klay Thompson on the Warriors’ side of the ball suffered a concussion on May 27, though he says he is “sure he will play” in Game 1.
Another X-factor could be experience. For league MVP Stephen Curry and the rest of the Warriors’ key players this type of bit game is going to be a new experience. The same can be said of the Cavs, except of LeBron James.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is tonight at 9 p.m. ET. You can watch it on ABC.
