NBA Finals Odds Heavily in Golden State’s Favor After Easy Game One

Posted on: June 2, 2017, 01:00h. 

Last updated on: November 4, 2020, 06:07h.

Casino.org Staff Writer Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming.

If the NBA Finals odds in Las Vegas are correct, this series is as good as over. Following a 22-point rout by the Golden State Warriors in game one over the Cleveland Cavaliers, bettors are running from the defending champs at Nevada sportsbooks.

NBA Finals odds Warriors Cavs
Kevin Durant and the Warriors took care of business on Thursday night, and the NBA Finals odds say the series is now a slam dunk for Golden State. (Image: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Before Thursday night’s opening matchup in the best-of-seven series that might last only four, the Westgate SuperBook had the Warriors at -240 to win the title, and the Cavs the underdog at +200.

In the wake of the 113-91 blowout, that line has moved to Golden State (-700), Cleveland (+500).

That means a $100 wager on the Warriors returns a paltry $14.29 if the Bay Area team wins. The same bet on the Cavs nets the bettor $500 if the underdogs can get their act together, stop turning over the ball, rebound, and upset the favorites.

Few believe LeBron James and the Cavs can, though the champs have reason to remain optimistic, as they came back from a 3-1 deficit this time last year.   

“We know we’re capable of playing a lot better,” James said after the game. “We didn’t play as well as we know we’re capable of, so we look forward to the next one.”

The SuperBook has the Warriors spotting the Cavs nine points on the spread for game two.

Sweep Odds Shorten

The Warriors’ game one win extends their perfect run in this year’s playoffs to 13 games. They’ve now won 28 of their last 29 games dating back to the regular season.

For the Cavs, it’s just their second loss this postseason.

Golden State’s potentially historic unblemished streak is also a line bettors can put money on in Las Vegas. No time in the history of the NBA has a team ever gone through the playoffs perfect, but with just three more wins remaining to do so, the odds are quickly shrinking.

Land-based and online sportsbooks have the Warriors at about 7-1 to sweep the Cavs and make history by going 16-0 in the playoffs.

Money Doesn’t Buy Rings

The NBA Finals odds might be a bit closer if the Warriors hadn’t acquired Kevin Durant, an eight-time all-star and the 2014 MVP of the entire league, during the offseason. After losing in game seven to Golden State in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, Durant said if you can’t beat them, join them, and jumped ship from the Oklahoma City Thunder for California.

While some NBA fans saw the move as a sellout by Durant, the fact of the matter is that Cleveland still has a much higher payroll than Golden State.

The Cavs’ 2016-17 roster is being paid $128.49 million this season. The Warriors’ talent is compensated $107.53 million.

The NBA is filled with financial ballers, and the richest isn’t even on the NBA Finals court. Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki has made more money in his career than any other player, sponsorships excluded, with his total wage coming in at over $216.6 million.

LeBron will likely pass that figure, as he currently stands at $169.6 million. For the average salaried American employee, it would take them 3,527 years to amass James’ fortune.