NBA Finals 2015: Prize Money Purse Distribution for Cavaliers vs. Warriors
Hollywood couldn't write it better than this—LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers travel west to kick off the 2015 NBA Finals in an encounter with the league's deepest team, the Golden State Warriors, led by the league's MVP, Stephen Curry.
It just doesn't get much better, and with a snap of the fingers, those somewhat yawn-worthy matchups of the last few seasons seem like a long, long time ago.
There are plenty of questions surrounding the epic showdown on the court. Off it, fans will need to know how to get in on the action.
Here's a look at the full series schedule:
| 1 | June 4 | Cavs at Warriors | 9 p.m. | ABC |
| 2 | June 7 | Cavs at Warriors | 8 p.m. | ABC |
| 3 | June 9 | Warriors at Cavaliers | 9 p.m. | ABC |
| 4 | June 11 | Warriors at Cavaliers | 9 p.m. | ABC |
| 5* | June 14 | Cavs at Warriors | 8 p.m. | ABC |
| 6* | June 16 | Warriors at Cavaliers | 9 p.m. | ABC |
| 7* | June 19 | Cavs at Warriors | 9 p.m. | ABC |
For those who want to throw down coin on the epic matchup, here's how Las Vegas feels about the showdown in each possible outcome and what bettors can expect when it comes to prize money:
| Cavs win, 4-0 | 18-1 |
| Cavs win, 4-1 | 12-1 |
| Cavs win, 4-2 | 5-1 |
| Cavs win, 4-3 | 6-1 |
| Warriors win, 4-0 | 8-1 |
| Warriors win, 4-1 | 7-2 |
| Warriors win, 4-2 | 4-1 |
| Warriors win, 4-3 | 13-5 |
As a whole, Las Vegas has the Warriors at -200, the Cavaliers at +170.
For what appears to be great reasoning, too.
James is, well, James, but going west is no easy task. He's averaging 25.3 points and poured in 30 or more in three of the four games against the Atlanta Hawks. He sounds like a guy who thinks he's at the peak of his play, too.
"I think if you put it all together, yeah," James said Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. "If you put everything together as far as my mind, my body, my game. If you put everything in one bottle, this is probably the best I've been."
It's a scary thought, James playing at his best, but keep in mind he's in a similar position to a lot of his early struggles, needing to carry a team on his own. Kevin Love's out, and it's still hard to know where Kyrie Irving's at in his recovery.
Cavaliers coach David Blatt told McMenamin a revealing bit of info on the matter:
"David Blatt on Kyrie Irving's L knee tendinitis rehab between the conference finals and Finals: "His progress has been slow"
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 1, 2015"
The Cavaliers get decent showings here and there from role players such as J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson and Matthew Dellavedova, but it might not be enough against the league's deepest team.
Curry can destroy teams on his own, although freeing himself of Iman Shumpert and others won't be so simple. Still, the man's the MVP for good reason, with an average of 29.2 points per game and 33 or more in three of the five games against the Houston Rockets.
Even if Curry struggles a bit, as improbable as it seems, he can just dish off to Klay Thompson, who averages 21.7 points of his own and cleared the league's concussion protocol and will suit up for Game 1, per ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
There's third and fourth options, too, with Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes continuing to make worthwhile contributions. Banging down low with Andrew Bogut won't be easy for Thompson, either.
The last time Bogut saw the court, he went scoreless but grabbed 14 boards in 19 minutes of action, meaning the Warriors might be able to control the battle on the glass and keep the ball out of James' hands.
It's not hard to see why the odds favor the Warriors. Shumpert can only play so many minutes and guard one person at a time, whereas Golden State can send both Barnes and Andre Iguodala at different times to keep the King working for every point.
Then again, James remains the best player alive, and it would be downright foolish to underestimate his ability to shoulder the load, especially if he feels he's playing at his best, a scary thought the mind should have a few problems digesting given his career to date.
Either way, fans can't go wrong with this one. In a smooth rapport thanks to a great matchup, neither can bettors who fall on either side of the fence.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. Odds via Odds Shark.
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