Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors
Don’t worry if you are still puzzled by what JR Smith did at the end of Game 1. LeBron James probably is scratching his head at that, too.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are once again behind in the NBA Finals after a bizarre series of events erased what was supposed to be a statement game from the King of the East. The Golden State Warriors escaped a scary loss and are now poised to put a familiar 2-0 cushion between them and the Cavaliers.
SBOBET tips also favour the Warriors to win at home. After all, they are the loaded team in this series. I don’t think the Cavaliers can overcome the amount of talent the Dubs have to repeat what they did in 2016.
However, the question that needs to be asked is this: do you really want to bet against LeBron James this time around? Are you sure that a comfortable Asian Handicap can even stop this LeBron James from winning Game 2?
Talking Points
Any Cavaliers vs Warriors predictions made by pundits will always have to take one man into account before they make their stand.
LeBron James always stood out whenever he squares against the Dubs in the Finals, but Game 1 of the 2018 edition was something else entirely. His 51 points easily clock in as one of the most impressive offensive performances he has ever displayed. We’re not even counting his eight boards and eight dimes or the fact that he is still performing at the highest quality in his fifteenth professional year.
Unfortunately for the King, he was brought down to the ground by things he cannot control. JR Smith’s blunder is a given, but a lack of scoring from George Hill, Jordan Clarkson and the rest of the Cavalier roster placed the team in a really bad spot. They shoot poorly from three but forced 37 shot attempts. Tyronn Lue obviously does not have an inkling of a clue with what to do with this decomposing dumpster fire of a roster.
Then there were the scares of Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love. Late in Game 1, Thompson got himself a silly Flagrant 2 foul against Shaun Livingston. Draymond Green then did what he did best: he taunted. He effectively hooked Thompson into getting into a fight with him. The fight was tense to the point that Kevin Love got off the bench and walked into the altercation. Just in case you didn’t know, that’s a big no-no.
Fortunately for them, Thompson escaped suspension and will be fighting for rebounds in Game 2. Love was also spared for his violation and will be playing as well. Fans can only hope that his scoring does not disappear this time around.
Meanwhile, everything is going swimmingly well for the Warriors. With this lead, they can now focus on putting more pressure on James and head to Ohio with a 2-0 lead. However, Green will be under the radar as some of his violations weren’t called by the referees.
However, as long as Durant and Curry keep on sinking threes and Klay Thompson is ready to catch and shoot, the Warriors will always be considered the favourites.
History
The Cavaliers haven’t won a Game 1 against the Warriors in the Finals, and the latest game holds true to that tradition. Though the Cavaliers were this close to winning for the first time, it cannot be denied that the Cavs still lost. This might be the final series James will be playing for the Cavs, so the least they could do is help him prevent a 3-9 Finals record from tainting his legacy as the greatest.
After all, his 51 points is tied for second-highest playoff performance among active players; former Cavalier team-mate Isaiah Thomas’ 53 points last season is at the top of the current players list.
Speaking of records, he now has the second-most 2-pt career field goals in NBA playoff history. He has already surpassed Tim Duncan in most playoff minutes played and is also the holder of most career playoff points.
Ray Allen’s 385 career playoff 3-point field goal record is also at risk to three men. LeBron is leading with 367 and Curry is close by with 361. Klay Thompson is a distant fourth among active players with 297, and JR Smith is not far behind with 281.
What are the odds?
It’s hard to believe that LeBron will be able to do what he did in Game 1 again, so it’s safe to assume that Game 2 will be a blowout. The safer option is choosing Golden State’s -11.50 Asian Handicap for 1.96 in odds. If you feel like being a little risky, Cleveland +11.00 is available for 2.01.
However, I do think that the Cavaliers will be leading in the first half before they run out of gas. The lead will still be small, but Cleveland +6.00 First Half Asian Handicap will reward punters with 1.99. These two teams also score lots of points, so Over 216.00 for 1.98 is a no-brainer of a pick.
It will be interesting to see if LeBron James will be able to carry the Cavaliers through this. He has been carrying an entire state for most of the playoffs, so it’s only a matter of time before he gives out and collapses under the weight.
After all, even superhuman athletes get tired.
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