The Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers (12-2 SU, 8-6 ATS) take on the Golden State Warriors (12-3 SU, 7-8 ATS) Thursday in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. You can watch the game live on ABC.
The NBA Finals matchup everyone wanted to see is here and the Cavaliers and Warriors will tip off what should be an epic series Thursday. Cleveland swept through top-seeded Atlanta in the Eastern Conference final and has won its last seven playoff games, including four straight on the road. The Cavs are 6-1 on the road this postseason with the under at 1-6 in those games.
The Warriors look to continue their home dominance in what has turned into a record setting season for a franchise that’s making its first Finals appearance since capturing the title 40 years ago. Golden State has won 46 of 49 games at Oracle Arena and is the 14th team to win at least 65 regular season games and reach the NBA Finals. The Warriors opened as 6-point favorites in Game 1 and are 3-5 ATS at home in the playoffs.
KEY INJURY
The outlook for Golden State guard Klay Thompson is improving each day, while the status of Cleveland guard Kyrie Irving continues to be a concern. Thompson, who suffered a concussion in Game 5 of the Western Conference final, practiced fully early in the week, strengthening the belief that he will be in the starting lineup Thursday.
Meanwhile, Irving had limited practice time ahead of Game 1 as he tries to get ready. Irving has been bothered by tendinitis in his left knee and a sprained right foot. He sat out two games in the conference final and played just 22 minutes in the Cavs’ series-clinching win.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I think if you put it all together, yeah. If you put everything together as far as my mind, my body, my game; if you put everything in one bottle, this is probably the best I’ve been.” – Cavaliers forward LeBron James when asked if he’s playing the best basketball of his career
BETTING TRENDS
- Cleveland is 5-2 ATS in its last seven road games.
- Golden State is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 home games.
- The UNDER is 10-2 in Golden State’s last 12 games overall.
KEY STATS
14: Golden State became the 14th team in NBA history to win at least 65 regular season games and reach the NBA Finals. The other 13 all won the title.
27.6: Cleveland’s LeBron James is averaging a double-double in the postseason with 27.6 points and 10.4 rebounds, and is close to triple-double numbers with 8.3 assists per game.
29.2: Stephen Curry averages 29.2 points in 15 postseason games and has scored 30 or more points eight times.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Cleveland’s LeBron James and Golden State’s Stephen Curry will get most of the attention during this series and deservedly so. Curry, this season’s MVP, and James, who owns four such trophies, are without a doubt the face of their franchise and the NBA gets to showcase its two biggest stars in this marquee matchup with a trophy on the line. But last I checked basketball is a team game and the supporting cast for each squad will ultimately determine the outcome of this game and series.
Both teams are loaded and that’s with Cleveland missing Kevin Love. The Cavs got valuable minutes from Tristan Thompson and Matthew Dellavedova during the playoffs, making their squad deeper and stronger to match the Warriors depth. Golden State has a deadly outside game with Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, and a sneaky inside game with Draymond Green. But the Cavaliers have the one thing the Warriors don’t – LeBron James. The ultimate difference maker, James shifts the landscape of a series in a way no other current NBA player can.
The teams split the regular season series with each winning decisively on its homecourt, but those games aren’t an accurate barometer of how this game plays out with so much at stake. The Cavs are embracing the underdog role and use a rested LeBron to capture the first game of this series, quieting a vocal group of Warriors supporters.
Cleveland 103, Golden State 97
BookMaker will be the first sportsbook to send out NBA odds for this game. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next half. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
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 Thursday, June 4, 2015, at 9 p.m. ET at Oracle Arena. The game will be televised nationally on ABC.
