Warriors Listed at Odds of -270 to Win Third Straight NBA Finals
- Golden State beat Toronto 109-105 in Game 2 of the NBA Finals
- The Warriors are now -270 favorites to win a third successive NBA title
- Golden State are 8-2 in the last ten NBA Finals games
That glimmer of hope that the Toronto Raptors gained from a Game 1 NBA Finals victory over the Golden State Warriors was quickly extinquished in the third quarter of Game 2.
Golden State turned in a dominant second half to beat the Raptors 109-105. That win deadlocked the series as it heads back to the Bay Area for Games 3 and 4. It also served to solidify Golden State’s presence as prohibitive favorites to defeat the Raptors and win a third NBA Championship in as many years.
Books have set the Warriors as -270 chalk to win the series in the sportsbook’s NBA Championship odds.
2019 NBA Finals Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | -270 |
| Toronto Raptors | +220 |
*Odds taken 06/03/19
Golden State is almost all the way back to its pre-series favorite status of -300. The Warriors dropped to -150 favorites after their Game 1 loss.
Meanwhile, the Raptors have gravitated from opening as +250 underdogs, to dropping to +130 dogs after their Game 1 win. But the Game 2 setback soared the moneyline on Toronto winning the series back up to +220.
Warriors’ Third Quarter Dominance
Trailing Game 2 by a 59-54 at the half, Golden State opened the second half on an 18-0 run, shutting out the Raptors for 5:25 in a stretch of basketball that was only slightly less competitive than the first half of the game in the film Space Jam.
Remarkable Finals road win for Warriors. Raptors playing a hobbled dynasty at home and whiffed.
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) June 3, 2019
Golden State’s depth was evident in this win. Kevin Durant, NBA Finals MVP the past two springs, missed his eighth straight game due to a calf injury. But Steph Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 48 points, including seven three-pointers. Talk about a team concept – Golden State hit 38 field goals in Game 2 and dished out 34 assists.
The Warriors won despite being weakened by injury. Thompson left Game 2 with a sore hamstring and Kevon Looney was lost to a shoulder problem. Durant should be back for Game 3 or 4. Boogie Cousins (quad) returned to the starting five for Game 2 and contributed 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
All Kawhi Again
A familiar script displayed itself again for the Raptors. Kawhi Leonard put the team on his back. The 2014 NBA Finals MVP delivered a game-high 34 points. But no other Toronto player scored more than 17 and no other starter was good for more than 13 points.
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The all-Kawhi, all-the-time formula worked in earlier rounds against lesser teams. But Leonard minus a supporting cast can’t do it all by himself against a team as talented and as knowledgable in the ways to win as the Warriors are.
The Golden State Ticket
All your action going forward should be on the Warriors.
So many folks rooting for the Raptors, and I really get that. New blood, etc. But the Warriors haven’t won all these rings just b/c they can shoot. They’re attacking the paint relentlessly tonight and breaking down one of the NBA’s best defenses.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) June 3, 2019
Play them to win Game 3 on the moneyline at -235. You’ll also want to get a wager down on them winning the title if you haven’t already. Those odds are only going to grow longer as the Warriors keep winning.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
