NBA Finals Game One Tonight
How much rest is too much? We will know the answer to that question after tonight when the San Antonio Spurs visit the Miami Heat in Game One of the NBA Finals. The Spurs swept the Memphis Grizzlies in four games and were done with that series on Memorial Day. They sat back and rested while watching the Heat struggle with the Indiana Pacers in a seven game series that just ended on Monday night.
If you recall back in the regular season, Spurs coach Greg Popovich sent his star players home to rest rather than go to Miami to face the Heat. The Spurs J.V. team then gave the Heat a tough game. The stars then rested up before taking on the Grizzlies a couple of nights later, winning in overtime. Commissioner David Stern was not too happy with the Spurs resting Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli rather than playing them in a nationally televised contest.
Stern will now get to see what a rested Spurs team with all their stars can do down on South Beach tonight. The Heat has had issues with Dwayne Wade and his sore knees. He is able to play well one game, but then seems to struggle the next. He had a big game on Monday night, so look for him to have a tough time tonight. At times, the rest of the Heat seems to disappear and wait for Lebron James to win it all by himself. They cannot do this against the Spurs. San Antonio is too good.
The Spurs also thrive in the Finals. Since 1999, they are 4-0 in NBA Finals. Duncan and Popovich have been there for all four of them while Ginobli and Parker have three rings each. The last time they faced James in the Finals was 2007. They swept him and his Cleveland Cavaliers in four games.
JustBet has San Antonio +5 -110 and the Heat -5 -110 ATS. Moneyline is the Spurs +191 and the Heat -231. Over/Under is 188.5 with both over and under -110.
With the Spurs well rested, we not only like them +5 but we think they will win straight up. So take San Antonio +191 and also the over -110.
For the series they have the Spurs at +185 and the Heat -225. Since the Heat have home court advantage in Game Six and Game Seven, it is going to be tough for the Spurs to win the series. To do this, they need to steal Game One and then go to San Antonio and win all three games. That will be a tough task. We think the Heat will get at least one game there. With the last two games at home, they should win the series. Take the Heat -225.
