Opening 2022 NBA Finals Game 1 Odds – Warriors 3.5-Point Favorites vs Celtics
By Chris Amberley in NBA Basketball
Updated: May 30, 2022 at 10:52 am EDTPublished:
- The Golden State Warriors opened up as 3.5-point favorites over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals (Thursday, June 2nd)
- Golden State will be making its sixth NBA Finals appearance in the last eight years
- Read below for opening odds analysis and a prediction on which way the line will move before the series opener
For the past eight years there have been only a few things you can truly count on. Death, taxes and the Golden State Warriors making the NBA Finals.
Steve Kerr’s squad is back in the championship round this season for the sixth time in eight years, looking to win the fourth title of his tenure.
Golden State will square off with Boston on basketball’s biggest stage, as the Celtics are fresh off punching their first ticket to the Finals since 2010.
Celtics vs Warriors Game 1 Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | +136 | +3.5 (-110) | O 210.5 (-110) |
| Golden State Warriors | -162 | -3.5 (-110) | U 210.5 (-110) |
Odds as of May 29th from FanDuel Sportsbook.
Boston, along with the LA Lakers, are tied for the most NBA Titles in history with 17. However, oddsmakers aren’t expecting a record-breaking 18th championship this time around.
The Warriors opened up as 3.5-point favorites Game 1, and are big favorites in the NBA Championship odds. Golden State currently boasts odds of -155 to win it all, which marks the sixth consecutive time they’ve been favored in the NBA Finals.
Golden State Warriors Betting Analysis
The Warriors joined some very elite company with their latest berth in the championship round. Only the Michael Jordan-led Bulls of the 90’s, the Magic Johnson Lakers of the 80’s and the Bill Russell-led Celtics of the 50’s and 60’s have ever made the NBA Finals six times in an eight-year stretch.
First Finals appearance 🤝 Sixth Finals appearance pic.twitter.com/JGrUX5ShvU
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 27, 2022
Golden State captured the title in three of their first four appearances of the Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green era, before falling short in 2019 against Toronto. Of course, Kevin Durant was also a big part of the Warriors’ last three NBA Finals berths, but both he and Thompson were injured against the Raptors.
Thompson didn’t play at all in either the 2019-20 or 2020-21 seasons due to two major surgeries, and Golden State missed the playoffs in both campaigns.
32 PTS | 8-16 3FG@KlayThompson was feelin' it last night ☔️ pic.twitter.com/AFxvHVHdKJ
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 27, 2022
He’s completely healthy now and his play is a major reason why the Warriors are back in familiar territory. Thompson poured in 32 points in the Western Conference Finals clinching game, while Curry captured series MVP honors.
Another big reason for their success is their incredible play at home. Golden State is 9-0 at home this postseason, with a ridiculous 120.8 offensive rating and 14.4 net rating at Chase Center.
The Warriors will have home court advantage against the Celtics, and own an average margin of victory of 13 points in their own building.
Boston Celtics Betting Analysis
However, if you had to pick a team this season that could take down Golden State, Boston would have to be among the top contenders. The Celtics are elite defensively, and can throw multiple plus-defenders at the Splash Bros.
Boston led the entire NBA in defensive rating during the regular season. They produced the DPOY in Marcus Smart, and have continued to excel in their own end in the postseason. Only Milwaukee has a better defensive rating during the playoffs, but the Celtics are certainly not one dimensional.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart are the first trio with 20 points and 5 assists in a Game 7 since Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Byron Scott in the 1988 Conference Finals vs Mavericks. pic.twitter.com/Mp8yBh4dyP
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 30, 2022
They feature two elite scorers in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and possess good size and rebounding in the front court.
Also working in the Celtics favor is their ability to perform away from home. Winning in Golden State will be a necessity if Boston wants to hoist the Larry O-B, and they’ve proven they’re road warriors all postseason long. Boston is 7-2 away from home in the playoffs with an offensive rating of 114 compared to 111 at TD Garden.
TO THE FINALS!
The Celtics advance to the 2022 NBA Finals for a shot at their 18th franchise championship 😤 pic.twitter.com/uyYk2eTph3
— ESPN (@espn) May 30, 2022
The Celtics are certainly a live ‘dog to win the title but expectations should probably be tempered for Game 1. They’ve gotten off to slow starts in back-to-back series, dropping the opener by an average of 11.5 points.
Celtics vs Warriors Game 1 Line Movement
The combination of Boston’s slow starts and the public’s infatuation with Golden State is likely to cause this line to move in the Warriors favor. The betting public will also be enamored with Golden State’s recent ATS run. Curry and Co. have covered in five of their past six games, and in four straight at home.
The Warriors are also 4-1 in recent NBA Finals openers, winning each time in their own building by at least 8 points. If you want to back Boston sit tight, a better number should be available closer to the Game 1 tip-off.
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
