Expect monster TV ratings and major betting action at your online sportsbook on Sunday night as the 2015-16 NBA season will come to a close with story lines galore as Cleveland visits Golden State in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. I believe this will be the highest-rated and most-wagered game in years. The Warriors are 4.5-point favorites on NBA odds.
When: Sunday, 8 PM ET Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland TV: ABC NBA Odds: Warriors -4.5 (206.5) v
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have never won an NBA title and this is obviously the biggest game in franchise history. Bringing a championship to that title-starved city — no champion in a major pro sport since 1964 — is why native son LeBron James returned to the Cavaliers from Miami. If James wins this, he solidifies his status on the Mount Rushmore of the greatest players in NBA history. Only one player in league history has won Finals MVP honors on a losing team, but right now LeBron is the clear MVP favorite, win or lose.
No team in NBA history has ever rallied from a 3-1 NBA Finals series deficit to win the title. Only two previous even forced a Game 7 as the Cavaliers have. Also, no Finals has seen every game decided by double digits. All six have been in this series thus far. Here’s what’s amazing: the teams have scored the exact amount of total points despite each game finishing as a blowout.
Cleveland looked dead following a 108-97 home loss in Game 4 to fall down 3-1. But of course Golden State’s Draymond Green got a stupid technical foul in that game and was suspended for Game 5 and that changed everything. The Cavs took that one 112-97 in Oakland. Green was back on Thursday but it didn’t matter as the Cavs led wire-to-wire, jumping out to a 31-11 first-quarter lead, the fewest points the Warriors have scored in a quarter all season, to win 115-101.
James was fantastic again with his second straight 41-point game to go with 11 assists and eight rebounds. In the three losses against the Warriors, James was 10-of-24 on uncontested shots, which is not having a defender within four feet. He went 6-of-8 from the field on uncontested shots Thursday night. This, a few days after going 7-of-14 on those looks in Game 5. If LeBron is hitting jumpers, the Cavs are tough to beat. He’s 7-of-14 from 3-point range in the last two games. James is the fifth different player to have consecutive 40-point games within a single NBA Finals. The other five are Jerry West (1965 and 1969 Lakers), Rick Barry (1967 Warriors), Michael Jordan (1993 Bulls) and Shaquille O’Neal (2000 Lakers).
Kyrie Irving added 23 points in Game 6. The Cavs again won despite Kevin Love, the supposed third member of the Big 3, again doing nothing. He was in early foul trouble. I believe this is Love’s final game in a Cavs uniform, win or lose. He just doesn’t fit. You already hear rumors of a possible trade to Boston.
Steph Curry led the Warriors with 30 points in Game 6 but fouled out for the first time in his NBA career and was ejected at the end after throwing his mouthpiece and hitting a fan (who happened to be the son of a minority owner of the Cavs). Curry won’t be suspended but is looking at a fine. Warriors coach Steve Kerr also is looking at a fine after criticizing the refs after the game. I would agree that three of the six fouls on Curry were pretty shaky.
Klay Thompson added 25 points for Golden State, but the Warriors got little from anyone else. Harrison Barnes is in a horrible slump right now and was scoreless in 16 minutes, missing all eight shots. Andre Iguodala is dealing with a lower back issue and had only five points and couldn’t guard LeBron. Green had eight points, 10 rebounds and six assists. The Warriors played without starting center Andrew Bogut after he injured his knee in Game 5. He won’t play here, either.
Can you imagine if the Warriors became the first team to cough up a 3-1 series lead in the Finals after becoming the very rare team to rally from a 3-1 deficit in the conference finals? Their season would be heavily tainted. The Warriors have lost eight games in the playoffs after only nine in the regular season.
In Depth Analysis on Cleveland at Golden State NBA Finals Betting Lines Game 7 & TV Info
When: Sunday, 8 PM ET Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland TV: ABC NBA Odds: Warriors -4.5 (206.5) v
Cavaliers at Warriors Historic Betting Trends
So what’s at stake here? The Warriors are trying to repeat as NBA champions and stamp themselves as perhaps the best single-season team ever after winning a record 73 regular-season games. Although let’s be honest here: the way the Warriors have struggled in these playoffs, they aren’t the best team ever.Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have never won an NBA title and this is obviously the biggest game in franchise history. Bringing a championship to that title-starved city — no champion in a major pro sport since 1964 — is why native son LeBron James returned to the Cavaliers from Miami. If James wins this, he solidifies his status on the Mount Rushmore of the greatest players in NBA history. Only one player in league history has won Finals MVP honors on a losing team, but right now LeBron is the clear MVP favorite, win or lose.
No team in NBA history has ever rallied from a 3-1 NBA Finals series deficit to win the title. Only two previous even forced a Game 7 as the Cavaliers have. Also, no Finals has seen every game decided by double digits. All six have been in this series thus far. Here’s what’s amazing: the teams have scored the exact amount of total points despite each game finishing as a blowout.
Cleveland looked dead following a 108-97 home loss in Game 4 to fall down 3-1. But of course Golden State’s Draymond Green got a stupid technical foul in that game and was suspended for Game 5 and that changed everything. The Cavs took that one 112-97 in Oakland. Green was back on Thursday but it didn’t matter as the Cavs led wire-to-wire, jumping out to a 31-11 first-quarter lead, the fewest points the Warriors have scored in a quarter all season, to win 115-101.
James was fantastic again with his second straight 41-point game to go with 11 assists and eight rebounds. In the three losses against the Warriors, James was 10-of-24 on uncontested shots, which is not having a defender within four feet. He went 6-of-8 from the field on uncontested shots Thursday night. This, a few days after going 7-of-14 on those looks in Game 5. If LeBron is hitting jumpers, the Cavs are tough to beat. He’s 7-of-14 from 3-point range in the last two games. James is the fifth different player to have consecutive 40-point games within a single NBA Finals. The other five are Jerry West (1965 and 1969 Lakers), Rick Barry (1967 Warriors), Michael Jordan (1993 Bulls) and Shaquille O’Neal (2000 Lakers).
Kyrie Irving added 23 points in Game 6. The Cavs again won despite Kevin Love, the supposed third member of the Big 3, again doing nothing. He was in early foul trouble. I believe this is Love’s final game in a Cavs uniform, win or lose. He just doesn’t fit. You already hear rumors of a possible trade to Boston.
Steph Curry led the Warriors with 30 points in Game 6 but fouled out for the first time in his NBA career and was ejected at the end after throwing his mouthpiece and hitting a fan (who happened to be the son of a minority owner of the Cavs). Curry won’t be suspended but is looking at a fine. Warriors coach Steve Kerr also is looking at a fine after criticizing the refs after the game. I would agree that three of the six fouls on Curry were pretty shaky.
Klay Thompson added 25 points for Golden State, but the Warriors got little from anyone else. Harrison Barnes is in a horrible slump right now and was scoreless in 16 minutes, missing all eight shots. Andre Iguodala is dealing with a lower back issue and had only five points and couldn’t guard LeBron. Green had eight points, 10 rebounds and six assists. The Warriors played without starting center Andrew Bogut after he injured his knee in Game 5. He won’t play here, either.
Can you imagine if the Warriors became the first team to cough up a 3-1 series lead in the Finals after becoming the very rare team to rally from a 3-1 deficit in the conference finals? Their season would be heavily tainted. The Warriors have lost eight games in the playoffs after only nine in the regular season.
