2017 NBA Finals betting nuggets
Rob Nelson
ESPN Staff Writer
Are you looking to bet on the NBA Finals? Fans have been anticipating the Golden State-Cleveland matchup for months now, and it's finally here.
Below are some betting nuggets to help you with your wagers.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors
Series price: Cavaliers +215/Warriors -255
• For the sixth time in eight NBA Finals appearances, the team that LeBron James plays for is the series underdog. Entering these Finals, his series record is 2-3 as an underdog and 1-1 as a favorite.
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</tbody></aside>• Michael Jordan's Bulls on the other hand, were favored in all six of their NBA Finals.
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</tbody></aside>• If you wagered $100 on James' teams to win in each of his previous seven Finals appearances, you would be down $19.55.
• This is the ninth time in James' playoff career that his team is a series underdog. His teams are 3-5 in the previous eight series.
• The Warriors have now been favored to win in all 12 of their playoff series over the past three seasons. Golden State has won 10 of its previous 11 series, with the only loss coming as -220 favorite against Cleveland in the 2016 Finals.
• If the Warriors lose the series, they would be the biggest Finals favorites to be upset since the 2004 Lakers (-700) lost to the Pistons.
Finals MVP odds
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</tbody></aside>• Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are co-favorites to win Finals MVP. In three combined appearances, neither Durant nor Curry has won a Finals MVP.
• The favorite to win Finals MVP hasn't won the award in any of the previous three seasons. The last time the pre-series favorite won was James in 2013.
• The past five Finals MVP awards have gone to either LeBron James or the player whose primary job was to guard him.
Game 1
Line: Warriors -7; over/under: 226.5
• The home team is 11-1 against the spread and straight up in the previous 12 Finals Game 1s.
• James is 1-6 ATS/SU in Game 1 of the Finals.
• The Cavaliers are 6-0-1 ATS on the road in this year's playoffs while the Warriors are 2-4 ATS at home.
• Of the 19 meetings between these teams over the past three seasons (including regular season and playoffs), only once has the total score been over 226.5.
• The spread hasn't mattered in 18 of the 19 meetings between these teams over the past three seasons (meaning the team that won also covered).
Nuggets for later in the series
• In the previous eight Finals, the loser of Game 1 is 7-1 ATS (6-2 SU) in Game 2.
• The Warriors will likely be a small underdogs when the series shifts to Cleveland. Golden State has been an underdog in the playoffs five times during the past three seasons, with three of those games coming against the Cavaliers (1-2 ATS/SU with a -11 PPG diff). In their two other games as a playoff underdogs, the Warriors are 2-0 ATS/SU with an average margin of victory of 21 points.
• The Warriors have been an underdog three times this season (all coming during regular season), having gone 2-1 ATS/SU. The lone loss came at San Antonio on March 11, a game in which Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala all sat.
• The Warriors are 6-0 ATS on the road in this year's playoffs, while the Cavaliers are 2-4 ATS at home.
• All five Game 7s of the NBA Finals over the past 25 years have gone under the total. This includes Game 7 between the Cavaliers and Warriors last season, when the total went under by 24 points (Cavs won 93-89 with an over/under of 206).
Rob Nelson
ESPN Staff Writer
Are you looking to bet on the NBA Finals? Fans have been anticipating the Golden State-Cleveland matchup for months now, and it's finally here.
Below are some betting nuggets to help you with your wagers.
Series price: Cavaliers +215/Warriors -255
• For the sixth time in eight NBA Finals appearances, the team that LeBron James plays for is the series underdog. Entering these Finals, his series record is 2-3 as an underdog and 1-1 as a favorite.
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| YEAR | OPPONENT | SERIES PRICE | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Warriors | +210 | ? |
| 2016 | Warriors | +180 | Won |
| 2015 | Warriors | +190 | Lost |
| 2014 | Spurs | +135 | Lost |
| 2013 | Spurs | -220 | Won |
| 2012 | Thunder | +155 | Won |
| 2011 | Mavericks | -175 | Lost |
| 2007 | Spurs | +360 | Lost |
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| JAMES << | JORDAN | |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 8 | 6 |
| Series favorite | 2 | 6 |
| Series underdog | 6 | 0 |
| >> Includes 2017 Finals |
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• This is the ninth time in James' playoff career that his team is a series underdog. His teams are 3-5 in the previous eight series.
• The Warriors have now been favored to win in all 12 of their playoff series over the past three seasons. Golden State has won 10 of its previous 11 series, with the only loss coming as -220 favorite against Cleveland in the 2016 Finals.
• If the Warriors lose the series, they would be the biggest Finals favorites to be upset since the 2004 Lakers (-700) lost to the Pistons.
Finals MVP odds
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| PLAYER | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Kevin Durant | 8-5 |
| Stephen Curry | 8-5 |
| LeBron James | 12-5 |
| Kyrie Irving | 10-1 |
| Draymond Green | 12-1 |
| Kevin Love | 40-1 |
| Klay Thompson | 40-1 |
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• The favorite to win Finals MVP hasn't won the award in any of the previous three seasons. The last time the pre-series favorite won was James in 2013.
• The past five Finals MVP awards have gone to either LeBron James or the player whose primary job was to guard him.
Game 1
Line: Warriors -7; over/under: 226.5
• The home team is 11-1 against the spread and straight up in the previous 12 Finals Game 1s.
• James is 1-6 ATS/SU in Game 1 of the Finals.
• The Cavaliers are 6-0-1 ATS on the road in this year's playoffs while the Warriors are 2-4 ATS at home.
• Of the 19 meetings between these teams over the past three seasons (including regular season and playoffs), only once has the total score been over 226.5.
• The spread hasn't mattered in 18 of the 19 meetings between these teams over the past three seasons (meaning the team that won also covered).
Nuggets for later in the series
• In the previous eight Finals, the loser of Game 1 is 7-1 ATS (6-2 SU) in Game 2.
• The Warriors will likely be a small underdogs when the series shifts to Cleveland. Golden State has been an underdog in the playoffs five times during the past three seasons, with three of those games coming against the Cavaliers (1-2 ATS/SU with a -11 PPG diff). In their two other games as a playoff underdogs, the Warriors are 2-0 ATS/SU with an average margin of victory of 21 points.
• The Warriors have been an underdog three times this season (all coming during regular season), having gone 2-1 ATS/SU. The lone loss came at San Antonio on March 11, a game in which Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala all sat.
• The Warriors are 6-0 ATS on the road in this year's playoffs, while the Cavaliers are 2-4 ATS at home.
• All five Game 7s of the NBA Finals over the past 25 years have gone under the total. This includes Game 7 between the Cavaliers and Warriors last season, when the total went under by 24 points (Cavs won 93-89 with an over/under of 206).
