Cavaliers vs. Warriors Prediction
The Cleveland Cavaliers missed out on a prime opportunity to steal Game 1 of the NBA Finals at the Golden State Warriors as they lost in overtime. Can Cleveland recreate its strong effort from last game and this time come away with a win despite being a double-digit underdog tonight in Game 2?
Game Snapshot
503 Cleveland Cavaliers at 504 Golden State Warriors
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Oracle Arena at 8PM ET
TV: ABC
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Public Betting Information
According to oddsmakers, the Warriors are an 11.5-point favorite on the spread line. The total is set at 214.5 points. As of this writing, 56 percent of public bets are being placed on visiting Cleveland. Check out our NBA Public Betting Page for the latest information.
Smith gaffe costs Cavs
With the score tied and 4.7 seconds on the clock at the end of regulation, Cleveland shooting guard J.R. Smith grabbed an offensive rebound and instead of going up for a shot or finding an open teammate he dribbled the ball back out. The Cavaliers did not get what should have been a quality look and Smith appeared to tell LeBron James he thought Cleveland was ahead instead of tied. It was a crushing blow for the Cavs and they eventually ran out of steam in overtime, with the Warriors winning 124-114. Smith was third on the team with 10 points to go with six boards. James had a monster game to keep Cleveland in it through, pouring in 51 points to go with eight boards and eight assists. He shot 19-of-32 from the floor, 3-of-7 on 3-pointers and 10-of-11 at the free throw line. Kevin Love added 21 points and 13 rebounds.
Thompson questionable for Game 2
Smith was involved in another moment during the contest that took center stage as he slipped on the floor and undercut Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson, undercutting him and injuring his ankle. Thompson returned to the game after initially heading to the locker room and was effective, scoring 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting including 5-of-10 from 3-point range. But heading into Game 2, Thompson says the pain has increased. He says he plans on playing yet is officially listed as questionable. Steph Curry paced Golden State with 29 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Kevin Durant contributed 26 points, nine boards and six assists. Draymond Green added 13 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, five steals and two blocked shots. Andre Iguodala (knee) was out again for Game 1 and is doubtful to play tonight.
NBA Betting Trends
Cleveland
The over is 5-0 in the last five Cavaliers NBA Championship games. The over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
Golden State
The under is 8-3-2 in the last 13 meetings in Golden State. The Warriors are 0-4 ATS in their last four games played on two days of rest.
Prediction:
Cleveland was one play away from winning a stunner straight up in Game 1. In overtime, the Warriors nearly covered the 13-point spread as they fell only three points short of pushing. It’s amazing what LeBron can do to will his team to be competitive against even the best of foes. After scoring 51 points in Game 1, it looks like he is in for another phenomenal NBA Finals. I’m going to bet on the Cavs to keep another game close away from home. If they can go right down to the wire once, they should be able to do it again.
NBA DAILY PREDICTION: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS -11.5