The Highlights
- The Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3, 110-102, behind 43 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists from Kevin Durant.
- The Warriors are now -36,000 to win the series and have opened at -5.5 in Game 4 as they go for the rare Finals sweep.
Stephen Curry had perhaps his worst game of the season, shooting just 3-of-16 from the field and 1-of-10 from the 3-point line — and the Warriors still won and covered the closing line of -3.5 on the road in Game 3. It's truly an embarrassment of riches for Golden State right now.
Oddsmakers don't expect anything different Friday for Game 4, as the Warriors have opened at -5.5 in Cleveland, with the total set at 216. Per the Bet Labs database, which goes back to 2005, no team has closed above -4.5 on the road in the NBA Finals during that span. Due to sharp money Wednesday afternoon, the line moved all the way down to 3.5. It will be interesting to monitor over the next two days whether the wiseguys will once again back the Cavs.
If you want to bet on the impossible happening, you can get the Cavs at +12,000 to win the series. (NBA teams that trail 3-0 in a series have never come back in 131 tries.) The Warriors, meanwhile, sit at -36,000 to win their third title in four years.
Books have yet to update the Finals MVP odds, but they will certainly shift before Game 4. Curry entered Game 3 at -335 to win MVP, with Kevin Durant behind him at +315. After a dominant performance from KD on Wednesday — the Slim Reaper posted 43 points on 15-of-23 shooting and added 13 rebounds and seven assists — he will likely now become the favorite to take home his second NBA Finals MVP trophy.
