NBA Finals 2017: Early Odds and Schedule for Warriors vs. Cavaliers/Celtics
The Golden State Warriors swept their way into the NBA Finals, setting up one half of this year's Finals matchup. Kevin Durant and the Warriors now await the result of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.
Despite having just half of the Finals matchup set, the NBA has released the full Finals schedule:
Game 1 — Thurs. June 1 at Golden State, 9 p.m. ET
Game 2 — Sun. June 4 at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET
Game 3 — Wed. June 7 at CLE/BOS, 9 p.m. ET
Game 4 — Fri. June 9 at CLE/BOS, 9 p.m. ET
Game 5 — Mon. June 12 at Golden State, 9 p.m. ET
Game 6 — Thurs. June 15 at CLE/BOS, 9 p.m. ET
Game 7 — Sun. June 18 at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET
All games televised on ABC
The Warriors have already made history as the first team to start the postseason with a perfect 12-0 mark, and they are now the heavy favorites to win their second title in three years.
According to the latest numbers from OddsShark.com, the Warriors' championship odds are -400 (bet $400 to win $100), making them the clear favorite. The Cavaliers, who hold a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals, are listed at +250 (bet $100 to win $250).
FiveThirtyEight gives the Warriors an even greater edge, setting the odds of them taking home the trophy at 92 percent.
It's worth noting, however, that FiveThirtyEight's projections rely heavily on the regular-season results. And while their predictions are often reliable, the Cavaliers' decision to rest players during the regular season may have broken their model. By any reasonable eye test, the Cavs have been a more dominant team during their postseason run than during their relatively sloppy regular season, and they probably deserve better than eight percent odds at winning a second consecutive championship.
Despite the fact that we're still waiting on the Cavaliers to wrap up the East, OddsShark already has the numbers for the Finals MVP candidates, and it's expected to be a tight race between Kevin Durant and Steph Curry.
Durant and Curry each are listed at +210, followed by LeBron James at +260.
Odds for Game 1 of the Finals have also been released in anticipation of the Cavaliers finishing off the Celtics, according to OddsShark analyst Jon Campbell:
In 2015 and 2016, the Warriors took care of business in Game 1 against the Cavs, winning by scores of 108-100 in their first matchup and 104-89 last season. The Warriors held the home court advantage in both previous matchups.
Obviously, all of these odds could change depending on how the Eastern Conference Finals plays out. The Celtics host the Cavaliers in Game 5 on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET on TNT).
If the Celtics win and force a Game 6, the odds in the series could shift further in Golden State's favor due to the extra effort required by LeBron and the Cavs to finish off Boston. The Cavs have proved to be at their best with more rest, and they would likely pose more of a threat to the Warriors with extra days off before their historic Finals matchup.
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