NBA Finals 2016: Cavaliers vs. Warriors Game 1 Odds, Props and Predictions
Game 1 of the hyped rematch between the reigning champion Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers is set for Thursday night as the 2016 NBA Finals get underway. Stephen Curry and Co. won last year's championship clash in six games.
Both teams were tested in the conference finals. The Warriors fell behind 3-1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder before storming back to win in seven. Meanwhile, the Cavs found themselves tied 2-2 with the Toronto Raptors before winning the next two games to advance.
Let's check out all of the important details for the highly anticipated series opener. That's followed by a look at some of the notable odds along with a preview and prediction for Game 1.
Viewing Information
Where: Oracle Arena in Oakland, California
When: Thursday, June 2 at 9 p.m. ET
Watch: ABC
Live Stream: ESPN3
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Game 1 Odds
| Role | Favorite | Underdog |
| Spread | -6 | +6 |
| Moneyline | -250 | +210 |
Series Props
| Games | 7 (+200) | 6 (+210) | 5 (+240) | 4 (+550) |
| MVP | Stephen Curry (-125) | LeBron James (+200) | Klay Thompson (+500) | Draymond Green (+850) |
| Top Scorer | Stephen Curry (-125) | LeBron James (+250) | Klay Thompson (+400) | Kyrie Irving (+800) |
Preview
Probably the most talked about storyline heading into the series is whether the eventual winner will anoint either Curry or LeBron James with the unofficial title of best basketball player on the planet. Curry has won the last two MVPs, but winning the title could shift the debate back in James' favor.
While it may be a fun discussion for fans and analysts, the Warriors superstar isn't interested in getting involved. Ethan Sherwood Strauss of ESPN noted the guard shrugged off questions about what the series could mean from a personal perspective.
"It's really annoying for me," Curry said. "That's not what I'm playing for, to be the face of the NBA or to be this or that or to take LeBron's throne or whatever. You know, I'm trying to chase rings, and that's all I'm about. So that's where the conversation stops for me."
In reality, it's going to take a lot more than any single player to win this series because there's so much star power on both sides. That's a change from one year ago when the Cavaliers were without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love for a vast majority of the games due to injury.
That forced James to basically do it all himself at times, as illustrated by ESPN Stats and Info, and that simply isn't going to work against Golden State:
The Cavs are trying to end a Cleveland title drought that dates back to the Browns in 1964. The team's physical and emotional leader is confident it's more prepared for the moment this time around, and not only because of the improved health, per Shaun Powell of NBA.com.
"Having these guys (Irving and Love) right here at full strength, having our team at full strength and the way I feel personally, I appreciate the moment, to be a part of it and to do it again," James said. "We have another year under our belt and more chemistry. We're excited about the opportunity."
The two most important things the Cavaliers must do both in Game 1 and throughout the series are play physical off-ball defense and continue to shoot lights out from beyond the arc.
Golden State is going to light up the scoreboard for extended stretches. That's a foregone conclusion. The only way teams have been able to at least slow them down at times is by making Curry and Splash Brothers partner Klay Thompson work extremely hard to get free when they don't have the ball. If they can run around a screen unimpeded and catch a pass clean, it's a lost cause for the defense.
Offensively, Cleveland has looked a lot like the Warriors in the playoffs. It leads the league at 43 percent from three-point range during the postseason after ranking seventh at 36 percent during the regular season. The Cavs must remain closer to the playoff number to win the series.
If the Cavaliers do pull off the upset, it will give the Warriors a unique distinction that really highlights how hard it is to win the title, as pointed out by Benjamin Morris of FiveThirtyEight:
All signs point to a long battle for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Neither side holds such a significant edge in any area of the game to believe it can simply exploit it and wrap up the title quickly. It's going to become a grind every time out.
Ultimately, Game 1 is more important to the Warriors. That's both in terms of maintaining home-court advantage and making a statement after getting pushed to the brink by Oklahoma City. Expect a performance that matches that immediate sense of urgency.
Prediction: Warriors 106, Cavaliers 102
