Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Sunday 6/3/18
Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors (-11.5, 215.5)
Warriors lead series 1-0
The Cleveland Cavaliers got two days off to digest the mistakes made down the stretch that allowed the Golden State Warriors to escape with a win in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals and put it behind them. The Cavaliers will get another chance to steal homecourt advantage when they visit the Warriors for Game 2 on Sunday.
Cleveland had a chance to take the lead at the end of regulation, but JR Smith dribbled out the clock instead of putting up a shot after securing an offensive rebound and the Cavaliers went on to suffer a 124-114 defeat in overtime to heavily-favored Golden State. "We lost a tough game. It's over. It's behind us," Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue told reporters. "We did a lot of great things in that game, so we've got to carry it over. We've got to play better on Sunday. We've got to expect that they're going to play better, so we have to play better on Sunday. I know we're capable of doing that." The Warriors were never publicly among those that thought the series would be a runaway victory and keeping their collective feet on the gas in Game 2 is a priority. "I know their goal is to come to Oracle and just get one (game)," Golden State guard Klay Thompson told reporters. "So, we have to have it in the back of our minds that we want to protect home court. And if we don't take care of business Sunday, we obviously lose that advantage. Game 1 is over with. I do not expect them to still be deflated. I expect them to play with great energy out of the gate on Sunday."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC
LINE HISTORY: Game 2 opened with the exact same NBA Odds as Game 1 with the Warriors opening as 12.5-point home favorites. But bettors were quick to fade the champs after their less-than-impressive Game 1 performance, moving the number to -12 and eventually -11.5. That's where the number sits as of Satruday evening. The total hit the board at 215.5 and that's where it remains at most shops. Check out the complete line history here.
INJURY REPORT:
Cavaliers - No injuries to report.
Warriors - SG Klay Thompson (Questionable, ankle), SF Andre Iguodala (Doubtful, leg), SF Chris Boucher (Out, ankle).
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (63-29, 41-59-1 ATS, 47-52-2 O/U): Cleveland superstar LeBron James turned in one of the great performances in NBA Finals history in Game 1 with 51 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, but he might have to play even better going forward. "I hope so," Lue joked when asked if James could play any better. "I know that's asking a lot. But we need him to lead by example, being aggressive, attacking the basket. We know they're going to come and help. They're a help team, and guys are going to get shots. If you don't have a shot, you've got to put it on the floor and make another play. He did that last night, and he has to keep it up." James could use more help on the offensive end after being joined in double figures by just Kevin Love (21 points) and Smith (10) in Game 1.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (71-29, 43-56-1 ATS, 45-54-1 O/U): Golden State shot 51.1 percent from the floor and 95 percent from the free-throw line while committing just eight turnovers in Game 1 but was still pushed to overtime, in part because Cleveland dominated on the boards with 19 offensive rebounds. "The glaring weakness on film was our lack of aggression on the boards," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters. "That's something we've got to clean up." Stephen Curry led the offense with 29 points and nine assists while Draymond Green turned in a strong all-around performance with 13 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, five steals and a pair of blocks. Kevin Durant went 1-of-7 from 3-point range in Game 1 and is shooting 31.7 percent from beyond the arc in the postseason.
TRENDS:
* Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Warriors are 0-5 ATS in last five vs. Central Division opponents.
* Over is 5-0 in Cavaliers and Warriors last five Finals games.
* Under is 7-1 in Warriors last eight when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Under is 8-3-2 in the last 13 meetings in Golden State.
Finals Game 2 Essentials
June 2, 2018
By Tony Mejia
NBA Finals - Game 1 - Warriors lead 1-0
Cleveland at Golden State (-12, 215.5), ABC, 8:05 ET
The NBA Finals matchup that many people had little desire to see for a fourth consecutive time changed a lot of minds given the memorable Game 1.
LeBron James scored 51 points, J.R. Smith provided an all-time blunder to remember for the rest of time and the Cavs nearly stole a contest in which they closed as a 12.5-point underdog, falling in controversial fashion.
Following a block/charge call that was overturned at the monitor after triggering a replay due to the restricted area, the Warriors ended up with two late free throws that tied the game instead of giving the ball back to the Cavs to run the clock down inside 10 seconds.
From a betting standpoint, the Game 1 money line and total were impacted most since Cleveland still covered in its eventual 124-114 OT loss. The extra session guaranteed the demise of all under bettors and also denied those who took a shot at a Cavs money line, which was available at around +650, from potentially cashing in big.
It was a wildly entertaining contest that closed with Golden State dominating the extra session, shooting 5-for-6 from the field and knocking down all three of its 3-pointers and all four free-throws to post a 17-7 edge. After James missed a long 3-pointer with just over a minute to go, Stephen Curry easily got past Tristan Thompson and looked like he had a free layup that would’ve made it a 13-point game, potentially making for a brutal beat for Cleveland bettors.
Instead, James swatted Curry’s shot at the basket, triggering the beginning of an argument that started a late skirmish that put the status of Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love in doubt due to possible suspensions. Both escaped the NBA’s wrath and will participate.
Andre Iguodala is unlikely to play due to the same knee issue that kept him from appearing in the series opener, so the one x-factor to be aware of on game day is the participation of Klay Thompson, who left in the first quarter with a nasty-looking injury suffered when Smith slipped and wound up taking him out on a slide.
Although a knee injury was initially feared, Thompson is actually dealing with a high ankle sprain and expressed his frustration with the mishap in Saturday’s media availability session.
“When I watched the replay, it pissed me off. That’s a tough play on the ball, and just to tumble into somebody’s legs like that.” Thompson said. “You’ve got to move past it, but it’s life. It’s just a minor setback. I don’t think it was intentional.”
There’s certainly bad blood, including Tristan Thompson shoving the ball in Draymond Green’s face with just over two seconds remaining, drawing an ejection. Green mused on Saturday that he can “meet (Thompson) in the streets any day,” which is just a way to get under the Cavs’ center’s skin. Still, Green’s four playoff technical could be a factor deeper in the series since drawing seven commands an automatic suspension, so expect that to be a subplot here. The refs will likely be out to nip any nonsense in the bud early.
The NBA fined Thompson but didn’t suspend him, so he’ll be available to head coach Tyronn Lue, who must decide whether to open with the same starting lineup or opt for a change. Either Larry Nance, who badly outplayed Thompson in providing a spark off the bench, or Jeff Green, who would help Cleveland match up better with Golden State’s smaller lineup, could factor in.
Going small right out of the gate could certainly affect the game’s pace. The ‘over’ (217 ½) connected in Game 1 thanks to the extra session and the total for Game 2 is hovering between 215 and 216. Chris David of VegasInsider.com offered his thoughts on the opener plus his approach for Sunday’s number.
“Those that vested in the total for Game 1 certainly put in some sweat equity and while bettors on the ‘under’ for the game got squeezed with overtime, I felt the high side was the right lean in the opener. Accept my apologies if you lost, but if you’re not new to this then you’ve seen that movie before,” said David. “Plus, the first-half ‘under’ was a much tougher beat as Curry drilled the 3-pointer at the buzzer. Also, savvy bettors playing a middle on the opening total (214 ½ to 218) could’ve connected with a Hill free throw and Golden State miss at the end of regulation.”
The opening chapter of the 2018 NBA Finals was filled with bad beats, bad blood and controversy, so we’ll see if the second act can be as exciting. Golden State has an 18-1 record at home over the last two postseasons and was installed as a 12.5-point Game 2 favorite immediately after being incredibly fortunate to survive James’ brilliance, so anything can happen here.
“Since this rivalry started between the pair in the 2015 playoffs, Cleveland has won just three of 15 games at Oracle and the Warriors were held under 100 in each of those. If you’re leaning to the Cavaliers with the points, I would tie in the ‘under’ as well," VI's David said. "Bettors expecting a Golden State-Over combination to connect should be aware that the ‘chalky’ outcome has only hit twice in this year’s playoffs, Game 2 and 3 in the first round versus the Spurs.
“Including the Game 1 loss, Cleveland is 5-11 SU and 7-9 ATS on the road versus the Western Conference this season and only won win (Oklahoma City) came against a playoff team. The Cavaliers are averaging 107.6 points per game, which has produced a 9-7 ‘over’ mark.”
The Cavs shot over 60 percent as LeBron went 8-for-9 17 minutes into the game to build a 44-35 lead, but they slowed down significantly after that, sputtering to close the first half and open the second.
“The Cavaliers fell into the 3-point shooting trap of trying to play keep-up with the Warriors and they actually hoisted more attempts from distance in Game 1," David added. "Neither team shot particularly well from distance and of the 238 combined points, only 35 came from the free throw line. If Cleveland wants to win a game in this series, it needs to have a decisive advantage in free throws and muck this game up and I’m not sure it can do that due to its defensive inefficiencies.”
Kevin Love had 21 points and 13 rebounds, returning from concussion protocol looking fresher if nothing else. He was an efficient 8-for-12 from inside the arc but shot the ball poorly from the perimeter, making his ability to warm up from there a crucial x-factor for both their ability to hang around and for this game to be as high-scoring as the first.
Love, J.R. Smith, Jordan Clarkson and Kyle Korver shot a combined 4-for-20 from beyond the arc, which included their All-Star power forward missing seven of his eight looks and Smith finishing 2-for-6 only after knocking down the final “meaningless” 3-point shot he took on Cleveland’s final possession.
The teams combined to shoot 23-for-73 from 3-point range, pushing on the number of makes expected if you took that prop. Kevin Durant went just 1-for-7 from 3-point range and felt he took risky shots, so he’s looking to play better than he has thus far. Curry is 17-for-40 over the past three games from beyond the arc and looks sharp after being less than 100 percent earlier this postseason.
The Warriors shot 51 percent to survive despite being out-rebounded 53-38. Offensive boards offered a tremendous advantage in Game 1 for the Cavs, 21-10.
Fast-break points helped Golden State make up for it thanks to a 28-18 edge, so that battle will be immense on Sunday night.
The other huge x-factor will be Cleveland’s ability to survive the Warriors’ vicious bite coming out of the break. Golden State has outscored opponents by 136 in the third quarter this postseason after playing just breaking even in the first, so keep that in mind for props purposes. The Cavs are -7 in the third in these playoffs.
JaVale McGee made an impact to open the third quarter on both sides of the ball and was to key to a 10-3 run over the first 2:58 of the second half. LeBron took a poke to the eye at 53-all with 1:04 left after a significant lull but said he feels better after finishing Game 1 with blurry vision.
Can he be even better as a result? Cleveland is counting on it. Game 3 will be back in Northeast Ohio on Wednesday.
Preview: Cavaliers at Warriors
Gracenote
Jun 2, 2018
The Cleveland Cavaliers got two days off to digest the mistakes made down the stretch that allowed the Golden State Warriors to escape with a win in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals and put it behind them. The Cavaliers will get another chance to steal homecourt advantage when they visit the Warriors for Game 2 on Sunday.
Cleveland had a chance to take the lead at the end of regulation, but JR Smith dribbled out the clock instead of putting up a shot after securing an offensive rebound and the Cavaliers went on to suffer a 124-114 defeat in overtime to heavily-favored Golden State. "We lost a tough game. It's over. It's behind us," Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue told reporters. "We did a lot of great things in that game, so we've got to carry it over. We've got to play better on Sunday. We've got to expect that they're going to play better, so we have to play better on Sunday. I know we're capable of doing that." The Warriors were never publicly among those that thought the series would be a runaway victory and keeping their collective feet on the gas in Game 2 is a priority. "I know their goal is to come to Oracle and just get one (game)," Golden State guard Klay Thompson told reporters. "So, we have to have it in the back of our minds that we want to protect home court. And if we don't take care of business Sunday, we obviously lose that advantage. Game 1 is over with. I do not expect them to still be deflated. I expect them to play with great energy out of the gate on Sunday."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS: Cleveland superstar LeBron James turned in one of the great performances in NBA Finals history in Game 1 with 51 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, but he might have to play even better going forward. "I hope so," Lue joked when asked if James could play any better. "I know that's asking a lot. But we need him to lead by example, being aggressive, attacking the basket. We know they're going to come and help. They're a help team, and guys are going to get shots. If you don't have a shot, you've got to put it on the floor and make another play. He did that last night, and he has to keep it up." James could use more help on the offensive end after being joined in double figures by just Kevin Love (21 points) and Smith (10) in Game 1.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Golden State shot 51.1 percent from the floor and 95 percent from the free-throw line while committing just eight turnovers in Game 1 but was still pushed to overtime, in part because Cleveland dominated on the boards with 19 offensive rebounds. "The glaring weakness on film was our lack of aggression on the boards," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters. "That's something we've got to clean up." Stephen Curry led the offense with 29 points and nine assists while Draymond Green turned in a strong all-around performance with 13 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, five steals and a pair of blocks.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Warriors SF Andre Iguodala (knee) is doubtful for Game 2.
2. Love will not be suspended by the league for coming off the bench and stepping onto the floor during a skirmish at the end of overtime in Game 1.
3. Golden State SF Kevin Durant went 1-of-7 from 3-point range in Game 1 and is shooting 31.7 percent from beyond the arc in the postseason.
PREDICTION: Warriors 115, Cavaliers 102
ATS Trends
Cleveland
Cavaliers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 vs. Western Conference.
Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
Cavaliers are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 vs. NBA Pacific.
Cavaliers are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games playing on 2 days rest.
Golden State
Warriors are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Warriors are 12-25 ATS in their last 37 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Warriors are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Warriors are 6-18 ATS in their last 24 games following a straight up win.
Warriors are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 vs. Eastern Conference.
Warriors are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 vs. NBA Central.
Warriors are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 2 days rest.
OU Trends
Cleveland
Over is 5-0 in Cavaliers last 5 NBA Championship games.
Under is 5-1 in Cavaliers last 6 Sunday games.
Under is 4-1-1 in Cavaliers last 6 games playing on 2 days rest.
Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 road games.
Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 vs. Western Conference.
Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 8-3 in Cavaliers last 11 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-2 in Cavaliers last 7 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 5-2 in Cavaliers last 7 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 16-7 in Cavaliers last 23 games following a ATS win.
Golden State
Under is 5-0 in Warriors last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 4-0 in Warriors last 4 Sunday games.
Over is 5-0 in Warriors last 5 NBA Championship games.
Under is 7-1 in Warriors last 8 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-1 in Warriors last 6 overall.
Under is 4-1 in Warriors last 5 home games.
Under is 4-1 in Warriors last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 7-2 in Warriors last 9 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 19-6-1 in Warriors last 26 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 3-1-1 in Warriors last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Under is 20-7-1 in Warriors last 28 games following a ATS loss.
Under is 5-2 in Warriors last 7 games following a straight up win.
Over is 5-2 in Warriors last 7 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 14-6 in Warriors last 20 vs. Eastern Conference.
Head to Head
Under is 8-3-2 in the last 13 meetings in Golden State.
Over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.
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NBA
Long Sheet
Sunday, June 3
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CLEVELAND (62 - 39) at GOLDEN STATE (71 - 29) - 6/3/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 41-58 ATS (-22.8 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.
CLEVELAND is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) against Pacific division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 25-39 ATS (-17.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 25-40 ATS (-19.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.
CLEVELAND is 14-24 ATS (-12.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 67-42 ATS (+20.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 42-55 ATS (-18.5 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 40-49 ATS (-13.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-29 ATS (-11.9 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 17-26 ATS (-11.6 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 8-21 ATS (-15.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 23-36 ATS (-16.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 10-9 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 13-6 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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NBA
Sunday, June 3
Trend Report
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Cleveland is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games on the road
Cleveland is 2-6-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Golden State
Cleveland is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing Golden State
Cleveland is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games
Golden State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Golden State is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games at home
Golden State is 6-2-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Cleveland
Golden State is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 7 games when playing Cleveland
Golden State is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland
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