NBA Finals Matchup Picks
Will we see a fourth consecutive season of the Golden State Warriors facing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals? Here’s our thoughts on this year’s championship series.
According to oddsmakers at YouWager, another rematch is the favored scenario as Cavs vs. Warriors is listed at -105 for a potential matchup. Other matchups with short odds are Rockets vs. Cavs (+350), Raptors vs. Warriors (+375) and Celtics vs. Warriors (+550).
The Cavs vs. Warriors matchup certainly feels like it is destined to happen again, especially after the Cavs made all their trades before the deadline. Neither team is currently the top seed in their respective conference, but the Cavs have the momentum in the East right now and the Raptors and Celtics don’t have the winning playoff experience that Cleveland has in recent years. Golden State is just ½ a game behind Houston for the top seed and the Warriors seem to be resting up and making sure they are healthy for the playoffs.
If it’s not the Warriors or Cavs in the finals, the matchups to consider are Cavs vs. Rockets or Celtics vs. Warriors. With the addition of Chris Paul for Houston, the Rockets seem to be the team most likely to give the Warriors a run in the West. The concern there is how James Harden faded out in last year’s playoffs. Can he be the leader of a champion? The Celtics also seem to be the team with the best chance to compete against Cleveland. Boston has Kyrie Irving, who is the most motivated player to try and unseat LeBron in the East. However, do the Celtics have the supporting cast to help him? On a side note, Celtics vs. Rockets in the NBA Finals is listed at +1400.
I still have a soft spot for the San Antonio Spurs, so if you are looking for longshot payouts, consider the Spurs vs. Cavs (+2800) or Spurs vs. Celtics (+9000). San Antonio still has the best coach in the NBA and is playing quite well without Kawhi Leonard. Leonard will return before the playoffs, making them even stronger. The Spurs also gave the Warriors a tough playoff game before losing Leonard for the series. Don’t completely give up on San Antonio.