Warriors Odds of Winning Western Conference Final Listed at -1350 After Taking 2-0 Lead on Blazers

• Trail Blazers blow 15-point lead to drop Game 2 to Warriors
• Golden State still without Kevin Durant for at least next two games
• What’s the best bet to make here?

There are missed opportunities, and then there’s what happened at Oracle in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

After a virtuoso first half performance that earned them a 15-point lead at intermission, the Portland Trail Blazers watched the lead and, most likely, their chances at advancing to the NBA Finals evaporate under a furious hail of three-pointers, dunks and ferocious defense at the hands of the Golden State Warriors.

Portland Trail Blazers vs Golden State Warriors Western Conference Final Odds

*Odds from 05/17/19

Is there any value in taking the Blazers as long shots? There might be two factors that could point you in that direction.

If you thought there was little value to betting the Warriors given their short odds after Game 1, sportsbooks have made it even less enticing as the series shifts to the Pacific Northwest.

Klay Thompson (13 PTS) and Steph Curry (11 PTS) combine for 24 PTS in the 3rd Q as the @warriors erase a 15-PT deficit! #StrengthInNumbers

Catch the finish on @ESPNNBA. pic.twitter.com/Uhj0Ngshe5

— NBA (@NBA) May 17, 2019

Portland Can Hold Serve at Home

The only time this current run of the Warriors has ever lost four times in five games was the seismic-shifting playoffs of 2016, when LeBron James and the Cavaliers fell down 2-0 and came back to take the title down 3-1. One win separates G-State from challenging for a five-peat this year.

Dubs erased a 17-point deficit to capture the win 🙌 @verizon brings you the Game Rewind ⏪ pic.twitter.com/VT9a7ewPpG

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 17, 2019

For Portland, all that matters is taking Game 3 on Saturday. The Blazers are 5-1 at home in these playoffs, and have shot better from the field (45% to 42.3%) and from deep (39% to 33.9%) while carrying a +6.3 point differential at the Moda Center. And there’s definitely some playoff magic in that building.

Damian Lillard goes for 50 and hits the game winner to send the Thunder home #PeepGame pic.twitter.com/9bT1wf3N2Y

— Champs Sports (@champssports) April 24, 2019

And while it hasn’t made a difference so far, Kevin Durant has already been ruled out in Games 3 and 4, as his calf injury has prevented him from still stepping onto the court for meaningful practice.

After a far better performance in Game 2, those are at least positive building blocks.

Blazers Can Still Perform Better in the Clutch

Dame time is a real thing, but it’s been missing in this series, and when Portland needed him most in Game 2, Damian Lillard could not put the ball in the basket in the final 7:24 of the fourth quarter.

“Elite, all-time defender.”

👏 @andre pic.twitter.com/D5xQ98Cv2r

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 17, 2019

His late turnover as he was angling to tie the game with a three in the dying seconds iced it.

CJ McCollum (8 PTS) showcases the handles and drills the fadeaway! #NBAPlayoffs #RipCity 18#StrengthInNumbers 15

📺: @ESPNNBA pic.twitter.com/pMPEAKUoIP

— NBA (@NBA) May 17, 2019

CJ McCollum, who was also much better from Game 1, went 0-for-5 down the stretch, notably missing a wide open triple and runner that are a couple of his trademark buckets.

SETH CURRY GAME https://t.co/LZJuWDGu8Q

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) May 17, 2019

The bench came to play, with the reserves pouring in 41 to the Warriors’ 33 bench points. Now, they just need all of these elements to come together.

What’s the Best Bet to Make Here?

Steph Curry has been a major problem, following up his 36-point game with 37 in this one. He and Klay Thompson combined for 61 in Game 2, including eight triples, many of the soul-crushing variety.

👏 @Money23Green stuffs the stat sheet with 16 PTS, 10 REB, 7 AST, 5 BLK as the @warriors edge Portland 114-111 to take a 2-0 series advantage! #StrengthInNumbers

Game 3: Saturday (5/18), 9pm/et, ESPN pic.twitter.com/IK0FgrjEZc

— NBA (@NBA) May 17, 2019

After failing to aggressively take the ball out of Steph’s hands in Game 1, Portland was better at it in Game 2, and all it did was unlock Draymond Green.

This Warriors team is really back to the precise movement, ball-sharing destructive squad of years past.

If you’ve got a hankering for a long shot, take it, but the Warriors is the safe and winning bet.

The Pick: Warriors (-1350)