Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Warriors will be aired tonight at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
A few notes worth discussing tonight for Game 1 and Player Items betting.
Compared to the first half of the playoffs, the Warriors were far better in the second half.
Statistics provided by NBA.com
- In the second half, the Warriors made 5.8 turnovers. That’s down sharply from the nine turnovers in the first half, the most in basketball with at least seven playoff games.
- They shot 35.1 percent from 3-point range in the first half and 40.9 percent in the second. Notably, there was no difference in shooting percentage.
The Celtics defense took a slight step back in the second half.
- The Celtics defense is amazing. In the first half, however, their defensive rating was nearly the best in the NBA (100.6). The second half was a little worse, falling to fourth in the playoffs at 109.9.
Marcus Smart excels against Stephen Curry
- With Marcus Smart on the defensive, Curry shot just 29 percent from the field. When Smart became Curry’s primary defender, the Warriors’ offensive rating plummeted to 85 points. Statistics provided by Second Spectrum.
For reference, the Warriors had an offensive rating of 116.1 during the playoffs (best of any team) and 112.1 during the regular season (16th in the NBA).
NBA Finals Game 1 Celtics vs. Warriors odds
Odds provided by BetMGM
spread: BOS +3.5 (-105) and GSW -3.5 (-115)
money line: BOS (+140) and GSW (-165)
all: over 213.5 (-110) | under 213.5 (-110)
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Celtics vs Warriors Game 1 NBA Finals Player Props Betting
Best choice: Draymond Green 8 + assists + 245 (draft king)
With Draymond in the NBA Finals, it’s time to play the role of a facilitator. Green had nine assists in the last game and ended in four of 11 games in the first two series of the playoffs. The Mavericks didn’t pose much of a threat, and this series will be a major challenge for Golden State.
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Top Pick: Marcus Smart 8+ rebounds +800 (FanDuel)
Marcus Smart surpassed that number in two of his five games last series, and his rebounding ability was disrespected. He’s not the healthiest player on the Celtics, but he did get some rest in recent weeks and shouldn’t be hitting that pillar at 8-1. Even though he wasn’t at his best health, he ended up in Game 7 against the Heat.
If you’re looking for better odds, Smart 10+ Rebound is inexplicably +2800 at Bet365. He hasn’t done it in these playoffs yet, but it’s worth checking out, other books are +1800.
Top pick: Jordan Poole ‘over’ 2.5 rebounds – 123 – BetRivers
A very small prediction from the odds maker. Perhaps the thinking is that he will be hunted on the defensive end and potentially off the court. However, there is a different thought process worth noting here. If Poole is going to play a lot of ball defense, it could theoretically allow him to get rebounds from turnovers.
Poole finished in two of five games in the last series, “ending” in 10 of 16 games in the playoffs.
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