It's all the NBA could have asked for. The best team in the league, the Golden State Warriors (79-18 SU, 54-42-1 ATS) will take on the best player in the league, LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers (65-31 SU, 47-49 ATS) beginning Thursday night with Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Warriors almost conservatively opened up at -6 in Game 1, a number which could ultimately end up rising if Klay Thompson is cleared from his concussion. The total is one of these rather average numbers at 202.5, and we don't expect to see that figure stick around in any of the future games of this series. Game 1, whether it be an over or an under game, should set the tone for future totals.
INJURY REPORT
The Cavaliers will have had some time to get rest for Kyrie Irving's knee injury and James' leg injury. Neither are on the injury report for Game 1, as both will certainly play, but that time off should be good for both men to get through this last stretch of the season.
Golden State's big question mark is Thompson. The second half of the Splash Brothers expects to be around for this one, but he will have to be cleared of his concussion first.
Keep in mind that Marreese Speights has been out with a calf injury since the middle of the series against Memphis. His return is imminent as well from that problem, and that will add some much-needed depth to the Golden State front line.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"The way I played throughout my career has been sporadic. I had never really gotten a role: To just do this and this for the whole game. You do this and this, and we will do the rest. It is simplifying things for me and for us." – Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert on the defined roles which Cleveland has set in place for its role players around LeBron James
BETTING TRENDS
- The Cavaliers are 1-5 ATS in their last six visits to Oakland. Earlier this year, they were smoked 112-94 here at Oracle Arena, though it should be noted that James didn't play in that game.
- The Warriors are just 3-8 ATS in their last 11 home games, including going just 1-2 ATS against Houston in the Western Conference Finals.
- The UNDER is 7-0-1 in Golden State's last eight games played at home overall. The UNDER is also 4-0 in Cleveland's last four road games played here in the postseason.
KEY STATS
42: The number of points which James scored in his one game against Golden State this season. He also had 11 boards and five assists, and was one of four men who either had double-doubles or came within two rebounds of doing so.
177: The number of possessions these two teams accounted for in their one regular season game with James in the lineup. By NBA standards, that's an awfully high number, as both teams could end up with 85 shots from the field if that turns out to be the case, something which certainly promotes a higher scoring game.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Cavaliers are going to have to do what they can to slow this game down and keep the Golden State crowd out of it, but we just don't see that happening.
Oracle Arena literally shakes for games like these, and when the Dubs get going, they can blow anyone out of the water.
Assuming that Thompson is going to play effectively on Thursday night, we expect Game 1 to be nothing near a competitive outing.
Golden State 111, Cleveland 94
BookMaker sent out the NBA odds for this Thursday game before anyone else in the industry. The Warriors opened up as 6-point favorites, while the total surfaced at 202.5. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, totals and spreads. Log in, and start gambling during the game now!
Access live betting from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker's live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneylines are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker right now! Bet on the NBA today as the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors square off Thursday, June 4, 2015 at 9:00 p.m. ET at Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA. The matchup will be televised nationally on ABC.
