The long NBA season is now very close to coming to an end, as we are now down to the final two teams. It is perhaps not the NBA Finals that we expected, as the general feeling was that the Golden State Warriors and the Milwaukee Bucks were on a collision course this season. The Warriors held up their end of the bargain, making it into their 5th straight NBA Finals. It is the Toronto Raptors who will be the challenger here, as they came from behind to take out the Milwaukee Bucks, setting up a final series that looks to be a very good one. The Warriors come into this series as the definite favorites, but will they be able to hold off a Toronto team that appears to be on a bit of a roll? Let’s take a closer look at both teams before finishing things up with an NBA Finals betting prediction.
2019 NBA Finals Betting Preview & Prediction
Why bet on the Toronto Raptors?
The Toronto Raptors won the Eastern Conference last season, but they laid a bit of an egg in the playoffs, prompting the front office to make some changes on and off the court. The biggest, and undoubtedly the best, of those changes came with the addition of Kawhi Leonard. He has, at times, taken this team on his shoulders and carried them to the finish line in games.
The Raptors will not want to talk about it now, but he may not be on this team long-term, as the belief is that he will be on the move after this series ends. Winning a championship could add a huge chunk of change to his asking price, so look for Leonard to be very motivated in the Finals.
The Raptors are going to need a win on the road if they are to have a chance in this series. They have won 4 away from home during this run, including a huge one in Milwaukee when the series was tied 2-2. It is worth remembering that Toronto won both meetings with the Warriors this season, including a 113-93 win in Oakland.
Why bet on the Golden State Warriors?
The first thing that you need to talk about when discussing the Golden State Warriors is their playoff experience and how good they have been over the last 5 years. This is their 5th straight finals appearance and they have won 3 of the last 4. They are stacked from top to bottom and have proven absolutely impossible to beat over the course of a 7-game series. That said, there are some concerns about the health of Kevin Durant, as well as a sense that this might be the last time we see this team in it’s current formation.
None of that will matter when the games begin, though, as this team is always focused. They are also well rested after taking out the Portland Trail Blazers in a 4-game sweep in the Western Conference Final. They are 6-2 SU at home in the postseason, so look for them to try and jump out to an early lead here.
Expert 2019 NBA Finals Prediction
There is already some talk about the Warriors winning this NBA Finals in a bit of a canter, but I don’t think that is going to happen. I do think they will eventually come out on top, but not without a real scrap.
Golden State Warriors in 6
