The NBA Vegas online betting sites and the Golden State Warriors were on to something with Game 4. In this article, we have our NBA Final Game 5 Picks for this pivotal Monday night tilt. Can Golden State take a series lead and put Boston on the brink?
Since Game 5 is rapidly approaching, it is essential to look back at Game 4. The pace of Game 4 was expected to be controlled by Boston. Golden State fell behind by five points at half-time. The Warriors did not look good early and yet Golden State stayed in the game. Then, Golden State err, Stephen Curry put his foot down on Boston. Yes, it was that simple. A lot of the damage was done during the second half.
An increasing concern with Boston had to become how the Celtics approached playing Stephen Curry. The Celtics appeared willing to let the guard get his points. In the second half, Curry was more than glad to take what was given. By the time the game was finished, Curry went off for 43 of Golden State’s 107 points. He not only shot 14-of-26 from the field but his three-point shooting featured a 50% connect rate (seven deep balls in all).
So, Golden State got their second-half to fourth-quarter revenge on Friday night. The Warriors made adjustments in the third quarter and took the lead. Golden State rode Curry’s hot shooting while their defense clamped down holding Boston to just 40% shooting (35% in the second half). The fourth-quarter edge loomed large as shooting cooled a bit. This time, Golden State bore down and held Boston for just 19 points!
Therefore, NBA Final Game 5 Picks focuses on what happened on Friday night learned but on Monday also. Golden State still faces a tough road but does have a home-court advantage. Give Boston a lot of credit for making this a series but give Curry even more credit for carrying Golden State. The Warriors have a chance to go up in the series because of their MVP.
So, the Golden State NBA Final Game 5 Picks have one big declaration. Golden State must continue to keep Boston off the boards. The Warriors did a great job of that in Game 4, as they enjoyed the rebounding edge in all phases. Their 55-42 edge included a series-high 16 offensive rebounds. Though Boston still fired hard to the rim, they were held to 11 offensive rebounds (just four in the second half).
Thankfully, Steve Kerr figured out to play Kevon Looney some more. Those results were stirring and telling. Looney enjoyed a +21 difference when he was on the court. More essentially, the Golden State forward had 11 rebounds in just 28 minutes of play. The Warriors’ commitment to pay more attention to the boards showed and paid off handsomely. Even Andrew Wiggins had 16 rebounds, and Curry had ten also.
This series started with how Golden State crafted a style against Dallas and how it would apply against Boston. In Game 1, Golden State shot well early and faded late. The second game featured better shooting. Game 3 watched the Warriors struggle mightily late from the field. However, Game 4 showed the blueprint for Golden State. The Warriors crashed the boards all night and enjoyed a +13 rebounding margin.
Golden State controls pace better when they are assertive with rebounding. Simply, they shot just 44% and committed 16 turnovers. Though there is more to work on, and Golden State realizes that it will take six or more games to win the NBA Championship. In our NBA Final Game 5 Picks, that series numbers move is duly noted. It was +190 before Game 4. However, the Warriors are favorites now.
The NBA Final Game 5 Picks has one more to consider. Golden State and that Game 5 spread? Again, the moneyline is hovering around -160 to -170. On the other hand, if one believes giving up 3.5 points is a prudent plan, then Golden State at -110 is a more attractive wager for Monday night. That difference of 50 to 60 cents on the dollar signifies much significance.
Again, more props and other picks are there to make. However, this seems dangerous based on this alternating pattern over the first four games. A few pundits believe that Boston will keep this pattern going. Here at VegasBetting, we are leaning again with Golden State. Steve Kerr and the Warriors must keep their rotations and play better defensively. Game 5 figures to expect a better Boston effort, but Golden State figures to shoot better too.
For what it is worth, the spread at 1.5 games is still a dicey option. Now with Game 5, the idea is to take on that spread for some value. Golden State cannot keep turning the ball over 16 times and expect to win. Steve Kerr and company have to get the right five out there, even at the expense of Draymond Green at times. The belief is that they will continue to do this on Monday.
For the NBA Final Game 5 Picks, watch the spread, which is currently between 3.5 and 4 points. Take Golden State once more on the spread.
Bovada has more potential numbers as Game 5 approaches. Also, Golden State, Boston, and golf are coming up this week. The U.S. Open starts Thursday.
Don’t forget about those Vegas golf odds where you can bet a few more bucks.
