The NBA got what it wanted – one way or another. The Finals, with the two most polarizing figures in the league, comes down to a one-game winner take all after the Cavaliers once again staved off elimination behind their King, who’s dropped 82 points in two games since being called a nasty word.
You can bet on NBA odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
Cleveland Cavaliers +5
Golden State Warriors -5
Over/Under 206
LOOK AHEAD
Following a loss in Game 4 that put them in a 3-1 hole in the Finals, the Cavaliers were visibly frustrated. Near the end of that game, Green took a swipe at LeBron’s sack and said something that got the King fired up. James hasn’t cooled down since. Again he carried his club with another magnificent performance when there was no margin for error. He put together his second straight 41-point game – with 11 assists, eight rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots – to send his Cavs back to Oakland for a deciding Game 7. Now it’s the Warriors who are frustrated, isn’t that right Steph Curry?
Cleveland was done before Green’s antics not only got him suspended for Game 5, but apparently sparked something inside the Cavs. The Warriors never could have imagined being in this spot. The defending champions, who bullied their way to a record 73 wins in the regular season, won the first two games by 48 combined points. But Curry and his troops have lost their touch, their poise and are in danger of seeing their historic season – and a second consecutive title – vanish.
INJURIES
The severity of Andrew Bogut’s knee injury was confirmed on Tuesday and the Warriors center is done for the year, which is just one more game. Bogut was injured in Game 5 when J.R. Smith fell and rolled into Bogut, forcing the knee to hyperextend.
Andre Iguodala started in Bogut’s place Thursday and tweaked his back during the first half. Iggy had his back worked on during a timeout and was forced to leave the game for a short period. He returned, but was visibly affected by the spasms. He’ll get an additional day of rest and treatment and the Warriors are hopeful he’s at 100 percent come Sunday.
KEY MATCHUP
It’s hard to imagine LeBron having an extra gear, but he found it and kicked into it over the past two games. He carried the Cavaliers to a pair of wins and now has them on the cusp of history by making his team the first to come all the way back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. Only two of the previous 33 teams to fall behind 3-1 even forced a Game 7. The Cavs need one more against a team that hasn’t lost three straight all year.
James was at his finest Thursday during a second-half stretch where he had a hand in 27 consecutive Cleveland points and 35 of 36 to put away the Warriors after they trimmed a 24-point deficit to seven in the final period. Even the return of Green to the Warriors lineup wasn’t enough to slow down the King. Now, James is one win away from cementing his legacy by ending Cleveland’s sports championship drought.
QUICK PICK
From the edge of elimination to the brink of history. That’s where the Cavaliers find themselves after pushing the NBA Finals to the limit. And the Warriors need to find an answer for James. There might not be one the way he played the last two games. The King frustrated the Dubs into having the MVP hurl his mouthpiece into the crowd. The Warriors are now lobbying the referees for calls ahead of Game 7. A tactic that apparently worked for Cleveland after its Game 4 loss.
The Warriors earned homecourt advantage not thinking they would need it after going up 3-1 in the series. It came in handy in the West Finals against Oklahoma City as the Dubs won Game 7 of that series on their floor. They have one of the best advantages in the league but the Cavs have a little confidence since they thoroughly dominated Game 5 in the Bay Area and because LeBron is on another planet right now.
NBA Odds: Golden State 108, Cleveland 103
Access live betting lines from your mobile device 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 moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! Bet on the NBA today as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors square off Sunday, June 19, 2016, at 8 p.m. ET at Oracle Arena. Watch the game live on ABC.
