Warriors Open as -300 Favorites Over Raptors in 2019 NBA Finals
By Robert Duff in NBA Basketball
Updated: March 26, 2020 at 6:34 pm EDTPublished:
- The Golden State Warriors are -300 favorites to win the NBA Finals
- Golden State is seeking its third straight title
- The Toronto Raptors will try to become the second team since 2000 to win in their first trip to the Finals
The Toronto Raptors are about to discover the harsh reality that the NBA Finals are vastly different from the NBA playoffs.
It’s been a great – no, a historic run for the Raptors this spring. But it’s all about to come to a crashing halt.
@Raptors fans!! It took 24 years to be able to say this to you but you ALL deserve this!!! WE ARE GOING TO THE #NBAFINALS #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/s70TuooNfH
— The Raptor (@the_raptor) May 26, 2019
En route to the NBA Finals, they’ve not faced anything the equal of the juggernaut they are about to come up against.
The Golden State Warriors are the destroyers of innocent dreams. They crush hope. They mangle momentum.
The two-time defending NBA champion Warriors are -300 favorites to win their third title in as many years in their NBA Championship odds.
2019 NBA Finals Odds
| Team | 2019 NBA Finals Odds |
|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | -300 |
| Toronto Raptors | +250 |
*Odds taken 05/26/19
Golden State is playing in its fifth straight NBA Finals. No team has done that since the Boston Celtics appeared in 10 in a row from 1957-66.
Warriors Are Relentless
If you want to suggest that Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard is the best player in these playoffs, you’ll get no argument here. But he’s about to go up against the best team in the playoffs.
And one against many is never a fair fight.
Y'all ready for this?
The #NBAFinals are SET. pic.twitter.com/DWJHfz3WZj
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 26, 2019
In the second round of the playoffs, Golden State took the lunch money of Houston’s James Harden, the NBA’s regular-season scoring leader. Harden did things this season that only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain had done in the past, and it still didn’t matter.
In the Western Conference final, the Warriors quickly turned sensational Portland guard Damian Lillard into a helpless, hopeless foe.
Can Raptors Ramp It Up Again?
The Raptors scraped past the 76ers by the skin of their teeth. Toronto rallied from 2-0 down to eliminate the Bucks, the first time the franchise had ever done that.
For the FIRST time in NBA history, the NBA Finals will take place in CANADA! 🇨🇦
410 NBA Finals games have been played over 72 years (1947 – 2018) prior to the @Raptors making the NBA Finals. pic.twitter.com/Nvi5xEYey0
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) May 26, 2019
Leonard has proven to be a one-man gang for the Raptors, averaging 31.4 points per game. But LeBron couldn’t will the Cavaliers past Golden State in the past two NBA Finals, so one guy won’t get it done.
Guys like Kyle Lowry, Danny Green and Fred VanVleet must show up on time every night and deliver the goods.
First-time NBA Finals participants are 11-14 overall but 1-4 since 2000. The 2006 Miami Heat beat the Dallas Mavericks in a final featuring two first timers.
Is Durant The Key?
Yes, Golden State has gone 5-0 since Kevin Durant went out with a calf injury.
But Durant is who the Warriors traditionally use as their stopper against Leonard. He’s 3-1 against Leonard in four previous playoff meetings. And it’s Durant (34.2) not Leonard who is the leading playoff scorer.
The NBA Finals matchup is set 🍿 pic.twitter.com/ppCa4vA2qR
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 26, 2019
Durant or no Durant, Golden State has too much for Toronto. Steph Curry averaged 36.5 points against Portland. And we haven’t even mentioned Klay Thompson or Draymond Green.
Get ready for a Warriors threepeat.
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
