NBA Finals Betting Preview: Curry Looks for First Finals’ MVP, Celtics Looking to Spoil Party

Stephen Curry winning a Finals MVP is one of the leading storylines heading to this NBA Finals. The NBA betting props support the notion as he leads plenty of markets. His journey to winning that elusive award is but one of many storylines to watch as we uncover a few, using prop bets in this NBA Finals betting preview.

Celtics vs Warriors Series Info

• Matchup: Boston Celtics (51-31) vs. Golden State Warriors (53-29)
• Locations: Chase Center (Golden State), TD Garden (Boston)
• Series Start: Thursday, 9:00 P.M. ET
• Broadcast: ABC

Curry Versus Tatum

One look at the NBA Finals prop bets and you will find Stephen Curry’s name leading the table. The three-time champion has yet to win a Finals MVP but is leading his team in scoring and has already posted seven 30-point games in the playoffs. Curry is also in the top-two in prop bets to have the highest 3-pointers made per game average, highest points per game, and the highest single-game scoring performance.

Curry’s counterpart, Jayson Tatum, is actually favored in the latter two categories. Tatum is in his first trip to the NBA Finals but is averaging the highest points-per-game between the two teams at 27 points per game. Folks can even bet on Tatum to have a 50-point game, a feat he accomplished last season against Brooklyn.

No Home Court Advantage

Home court advantage has been an iffy thing in the NBA Finals, especially if it involves the Golden State Warriors. While NBA teams stats reveal that Golden State is unbeaten at home (9-0) in these NBA playoffs, the team has struggled in past Finals without Kevin Durant. The Warriors are just 3-6 in NBA Finals home games if we discount the 2017 and 2018 Finals where they dominated the Cavaliers.

Golden State has lost its last three home games and its last five if we go back to 2016 when they infamously lost three straight games to lose the NBA Finals. Boston isn’t any better this year and is just 5-4 at home in these playoffs. The sportsbook has two road wins as the likeliest result but a bet on three is not crazy.

Celtics’ Supporting Cast Shines

Even though Steph Curry is favored to win the Finals MVP and the Warriors are favored per the NBA Finals betting previews, prop bets are boosting the Celtics’ supporting stars. In particular, expect players like Al Horford, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart to make an impact in the series even if they are not scoring 20 points a game.

Horford is the favorite to lead the series in rebounds. The Dominican finally reached the NBA Finals and is averaging a double-double in the playoffs. Brown is expected to be the third-most prolific scorer and could get hot from deep. Folks can bet on him to hit six 3s in a game while Smart could average a steal per game. The tandem of Tatum and Brown is also expected to outscore the “Splash Brothers” Curry and Klay Thompson by a significant margin.

An NBA Finals To Remember

The NBA Finals is expected to last six or seven games. Both are favored on the series length odds and we don’t doubt it. Expect NBA Finals betting previews to tout each team’s elite defenses, clutch shotmaking, and versatile coaching. Both Steve Kerr and Ime Udoka are fantastic at changing their team’s approaches hence why neither has lost consecutive games in these playoffs.

Three of the Warriors’ NBA Finals trips have lasted at least six games. As for the Celtics, they are coming from two seven-game series. Their sweep of Brooklyn also had an average score differential of just 4.5 points. If fans have been paying attention to Boston from the beginning, they can expect a nailbiter of a series here.