Even though the Warriors rolled over the Cavaliers in the first 2 games in Oakland, there’s still a glimmer of hope that we might still see a competitive NBA Finals.
Cleveland is just a 3.5-point underdog tonight at home in Game 3, needing a win to give itself any chance of upsetting Golden State for the second straight spring. The Cavs enter this game as nearly +1200 underdogs at Pinnacle.com to pull off the outright series win.
Last year, the Cavaliers were blown out in both games at Golden State, then returned home to whip the Warriors in Game 3. But those Warriors didn’t have Kevin Durant, who is a massive early Finals MVP favourite at Sports Interaction, listed at -350 odds.
We’re not sure what lies in store for tonight from a point spread perspective, so let’s look instead at 3 prop bets to consider for NBA Finals Game 3. We found each of these bets at Bodog.
1. Kyle Korver 3-Pointers Over 1.5 (-145)
Three reasons Kyle Korver is the Cleveland Cavaliers’ ‘X- Factor’ https://t.co/adxroDDvrp pic.twitter.com/RWMyHUy8FQ
— BlastingNews (@BlastingNews) May 8, 2017
The sharpshooter has been in a bit of a slump from beyond the arc, going 4 for 15 in his last 5 games. But the Cavaliers need to start shooting and hitting more 3s in order to keep up with the Warriors. 2-point baskets aren’t going to be enough.
Korver shot nearly 46% from 3-point range at home during the regular season and 48.5% since joining the Cavaliers in the middle of the season. Look for him to jack up more treys tonight, and to hit at least 2 of them.
2. Draymond Green Double Double Yes (+105)
#Sports NBA Finals: Amid MVP-filled series, this is Draymond Green’s chance to steal the show -… https://t.co/yAVm5xVbvQ pic.twitter.com/e7ZmsqYMfl
— AMA Supercross Fans (@Supercross_Fans) May 28, 2017
In case you don’t know, double-double is when a player posts double-digit totals (10+) in 2 different statistical categories. Most often, it’s in points, rebounds and assists, but you can also get there with 10+ steals or blocks.
This line is surprisingly close to 50/50 odds despite Green’s recent inability to consistently score 10+ points or pull down 10+ rebounds, let alone both in the same game. But look at his usage lately. Green was 1 point short of a double-double in Game 1, and he had 12 points and 6 rebounds in limited action (25 minutes) in Game 2.
Tonight’s game should be closer longer, which means Green should be in the game more. The Cleveland fans will be all over him, which should draw out his best. His 11 rebounds in Game 1 were his most since the first round against Portland, and he’s scored 10+ points in 4 of his last 5 outings.
3. Klay Thompson Under 18.5 Points (-105)
The @Warriors aren’t worried about Klay Thompson’s shooting slump as long as he keeps defending. #NBAFinals https://t.co/DJx4sUuiqa pic.twitter.com/VDZwELWpq6
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 4, 2017
Thompson’s been struggling badly in these playoffs, averaging just 14.4 points per game after putting up 22.3 per game in the regular season.
He’s coming off a nice performance in Game 2, when he shot 8 of 12 and finished with 22 points. But that doesn’t mean he’s out of this slump. Thompson has scored more than 18 points in a game just 3 times in these playoffs. The last time he did it (21 against Utah), he followed it up with a 6-point dud against San Antonio.
The Cavaliers will probably look to slow things down tonight after the first 2 games were played at a frenetic pace. That means less shot attempts for everyone, and Thompson should be challenged to approach 20 points tonight.