The NBA online betting sites are now getting a little consensus and a feel for Thursday night. In this article, we have our early NBA Final Futures Picks for this exciting NBA Final. Can Golden State finish off this run with a championship?
The Golden State Warriors grow a more and more substantial favorite everyday by resting and getting healthy. Yes, few even care about home-court advantage at this point. This is a Warriors team that has shown the ability to win anywhere and at anytime. Yes, Golden State has their faults but they close when needed. That was clear in their ten-point win over the Dallas Mavericks. It’s why they are prevalent in our NBA Final Futures Picks.
Now, the Warriors will not play until Game 1 which starts on Thursday night. Please note that the NBA Final, unlike the NHL Final offers a bit more rest. This is because the NBA Playoffs started more or less on time. That is another factor which plays into Golden State’s hands. Game 1 and Game 2 are followed by two days of rest and not one. This happens again after Games 4, 5, and 6. Golden State will be able to give out a more maximum effort when called on.
So, Golden State won the Western Conference Final Trophy on Thursday night. That was no surprise. Stephen Curry won the first-ever Conference Finals MVP (Earvin “Magic Johnson). The Warriors built a big lead and then just almost coasted their way through the fourth quarter. Again, with seven days between games, Golden State can adequately plan their attack no matter who they face. The Warriors are scared of no one.
Therefore, NBA Final Futures Picks focuses on this fundamental question. It is not if Golden State wins but are there a few other angles to focus on. Naturally, here at VegasBetting, our NBA Final choice is below.
Once again, the Golden State NBA Final Pick has lower value again now than it did a few weeks ago. One never truly can underestimate the Golden State Warriors. When the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Phoenix Suns, that probably represented the one major obstacle between Golden State and a fourth NBA Championship. Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry, and the company have won six Western Conference crowns in eight years. That’s some feat!
Now, can Golden State just keep playing the way they are capable of? That complacency which plagues any team at their level is always lurking. The Warriors are one of the few “dynasties” that are more susceptible to it than say those Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990s. Chicago had Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson. While Curry and Kerr are close to that level, the league has obviously changed between then and now. It’s much harder to win now.
This series expects to see Golden State get even more healthy. With players returning and depth getting back to 100%, that has to be the worst nightmare for their opposition. There is a nice way of saying Golden State will have so many weapons that they may not know what to do with them all. How does one ease Gary Payton II into the lineup? How do you balance the on-court minutes for so many players? That’s up to Steve Kerr.
Golden State’s Coach Kerr cunningly is a master at allotting that time. Honestly, the home-court advantage at Chase Center for Golden State is one of the league’s best. With the Warriors’ talent and abundance of depth and health, this team is built to win a championship. Therefore, from a win and loss standpoint the Golden State championship pick remains one of the safest NBA Final Futures Picks despite another drop (-200 to -220).
The NBA Final Futures Picks for the NBA MVP offers us a chance to look at this in a different way. What if Stephen Curry were not to win. Who else from the Golden State might take home that hardware? It is not that crazy of a question. Arguably, the last few games of the Western Conference Final saw some more “human” efforts from Curry while players like Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and others stepped up.
Again, Stephen Curry is a rather bland -125 at this juncture to take the MVP award. While he expects to very well win it, that is never a lock. Also, some of the other Warriors’ players are just pretty enticing as long shots, to be honest. Would it be harmful to toss a few dollars on a Jordan Poole or Thompson for example? Alas, when one looks at numbers in the +1400 to +2500 range, if that connects, the dollars won to pay off in a nice way.
Yes, Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, and even Draymond Green all have their pluses here. However, Thompson is that one player who looks as healthy as he did in 2016. He can take over games more consistently and control things on both sides of the court.
For the NBA Final Futures Picks, taking Klay Thompson to win the finale MVP at +1200 does not sound so bad, does it?
BetOnline carries a fun NBA/NHL Champion crossover. Now, one can parlay a Golden State bet with the Stanley Cup Final pick. If one wins, that is another way to get plus-money on the Warriors.
Naturally, embracing one “dynasty” with a potential three-peat is attractive here. Once more, our choice is to take Golden State with the Tampa Bay Lightning to both win it all. Also, that +400 number is not too bad to take.
Do not forget about some more NHL Playoff odds where you can wager throughout June.
Summary
Chris Wassel AA, AAS CURRENTLY Sports Writer and Journalist RESIDES IN Rahway, NJ EDUCATION Union County College, Montclair State University EXPERTISE Business, Writing, Sports, Food, Grilling, Olympics, Injuries, Politics, and more Summary Member of FSWA, FSGA, and a variety of Sports Betting Groups. Works on injuries for a variety of sites. Edits articles from NASCAR to football and beyond. Occasionally runs sites like mynhltraderumor.com and Full Press Hockey/Bets. Does a podcast for Full Press Hockey and a few other sports too. Experience Chris Wassel has 20+ years of sports journalistic experience in various disciplines. His ability to play sports is well documented. Most people in the business just write. However, Chris will race cars and even a super Moto bike from time to time. There is that fitness and hiking/cycling aspect too. Chris has climbed mountains from Mount Washington to Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California. For those that do not know. Chris also dabbles in food eating contests and challenges. Having a unique background with friends including Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has the ability to eat a whole 16-pound turkey or a 32 inch meat lover's pizza. Since 2013, Chris does focus on things like fitness, fishing, and sports. One would be surprised that Chris runs, hikes, and rock climbs. There are even those occasional mini-triathlons. One truly can pack a lot in a small package. Chris can lift things over his body weight with ease. Also, if there is a NASCAR rain prop, Chris can tell you if there will be a Monday race. Throughout his career, Chris has worked at a wide range of places from Amazon to USA Today to a variety of rumors and fantasy sports sites. Finally, Chris has been nominated for quite a few awards from the Fantasy Sports Writers Association for Hockey Writer Of The Year. Also, there have been a number of high-stakes fantasy trophies and rings that Chris sports in his house. Education Chris received an Associates from Union Country College for business and accounting. Chris did sports journalism work at Montclair State University covering the hockey, baseball, and football teams. Quote from Chris Wassel "Shut up and play.”
Education
1999 Graduate of Union County College
1993 Graduate of Rahway High School
Professional Achievements
Media credentialed member of the New Jersey Devils since 2010
Covered several NHL Drafts including the one day event in Newark in 2013
Been on countless podcasts, TV shows, and more including Sportsnet and even NHL Network