The Golden State Warriors are strong favorites to win their NBA Finals rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has the Warriors a -260 favorite, while the Cavs are a +220 underdog.
This is the third straight year the two teams have played in the NBA Finals. In 2015, the Golden State Warriors won in 6 games, though the Cavaliers were missing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in that series. In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers won in 7 games, though Golden State was missing Andrew Bogut for the last 3 games -- and Draymond Green for Game 5, due to a one-game suspension.
2016-17 Golden State Warriors
While the Cavs are the defending NBA champions, the Las Vegas sportsbooks see the Warriors as a large favorite. The Cavs had to come back from a 3-1 deficit last year, and that victory was considered a pretty big upset at the time. Since then, the Warriors have added former NBA MVP Kevin Durant to a lineup that includes the Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, as well as Draymond Green.
Though the improved 2016-17 Warriors lineup did not match the 73-win regular season of last year, the team still collected the NBA's regular-season record at 67-15 and they are regarded by most observers to be a better club this year than last. Certainly, their offense is harder to defend. Golden State is a perfect 12-0 in the playoffs.
2016-17 Cleveland Cavaliers
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers collected only a 51-31, which was not good enough to be the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Despite finishing two games behind the Boston Celtics in the regular season, the Cavs beat the Celtics in 5 games, including 3 wins on the road. In the previous series, Lebron James and gang defeated the Toronto Raptors in a 4-game sweep, despite finishing with identical records in the regular season.
The Cavs are 12-1 in the postseason, so both teams come into the finals playing at the top of their game. When asked about the upcoming matchup, Lebron James said, "I'm going to be honest, I'm not in the right mind to even talk about Golden State. It's too stressful, and I'm not stressed right now. I'm very happy about our accomplishment.""Golden State, they've been the best team in our league for the last three years, and then they added an MVP (Kevin Durant). That's all I can give you right now, because I'm happy and I don't want to be stressed."
Lebron James Still the King
Despite the major changes in the Warriors' lineup, the equation is the same now as it was last year. The Warriors have a better all-around team, and players like Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are All-World players. Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguadala form a talented core of players who can take over a game any given night.
While the Warriors have the better team on paper, the Cavaliers still have the greatest player in the world. That is no disrespect to Curry, Durant, and Thompson, but even at age 32, Lebron James is still in the prime of his career. He is a force on both ends of the court. While being the most physically gifted player, he is also a skilled passer with all the requisite skills. Lebron James has gotten his team to the NBA Finals the last 7 years in a row, which says it all.
Kevin Durant a 7-5 Favorite to Win MVP
Of course, Kevin Durant is the Las Vegas favorite to win the 2017 NBA Finals MVP. William Hill Las Vegas has Kevin Durant as a 7-5 favorite to win the MVP, while Stephen Curry is next at 8-5. Lebron James has 2-1 odds to win the MVP.
Those odds are not a contradiction with Lebron James' status as the greatest player in the world. The calculation factors in the relative chances each team has of winning the NBA Title. Since the Warriors are a decided favorite, Durant and Curry have better odds of winning the MVP.
Draymond Green has 17-2 odds to win Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals. The key to Cleveland's hopes, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, are next in line. Lebron needs help and, with so many stars on the other side, he needs major help -- especially from Kyrie Irving. The Cavs' point guard has 10-1 odds, while Kevin Love has 15-1 odds.
How the Moneyline Bet Works
Those new to Las Vegas sports bets might be wondering about the notations on the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook's betting lines, which has Golden State a -260 and the Cavs at +220. That means you would have to bet $260 on the Warriors to receive $100 in winnings, if Golden State won. It also means you would receive $220 on a $100 bet, if the Cavaliers won.
If you want to base the wager on a flat $100 bet, if you wagered one-hundred dollars on the Warriors and they won the NBA Title, you would win $38.46. Once again, that same $100 bet on the Cavaliers would net you $220 in winnings. As beginners can see, the Cavs are major underdogs. Given this is the rubber match in a 3-year rivalry between the teams, the 2017 NBA Finals should have a lot of intrigue.
