The Warriors opened as 5- or 5.5-point favorites for Game 3 of the NBA Finals, depending on the sportsbook.
And ever since the line opened late on Sunday night, the public has been all over the Raptors for the first time in the NBA Finals:
- Game 1: Warriors received 66% of the betting tickets as 2-point underdogs, according to The Action Network's proprietary data, and lost on the road.
- Game 2: Warriors received 71% of the tickets as 1.5-point underdogs and beat the Raptors on the road.
- Game 3: Golden State is receiving record-low support from the betting market at just 38% as a 4.5-point favorite. (All data as of Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. ET. See real-time data here or in The Action Network app.)
That means, for the first time in more than 14 months, the Warriors are in jeopardy of closing with fewer than 40% of the betting tickets.
Under Steve Kerr, Golden State has received fewer than 40% of tickets just nine times — and only four of those came when Steph Curry was playing. In those four games, the Warriors are 4-0 straight up and against the spread, beating their opponents by 20.3 points per game.
More importantly, two of those four games came in the playoffs for the Warriors…
Game 3, 2015 Western Conference Finals vs. Rockets
The Warriors had just won Games 1 and 2 of the series at home against the Rockets by a combined six points. In Golden State's first title run, bettors were banking on a Rockets bounce back, but they didn't know the Warriors dynasty was just getting started.
Golden State closed with 37% of the tickets as 1.5-point underdogs and beat the Rockets, 115-80, in Houston to take a 3-0 commanding lead behind 40 points and 7 three-pointers from Curry.
Game 5, 2015 NBA Finals vs. Cavaliers
Seven games after Golden State throttled Houston on the road in Game 3, the Warriors were in a battle for their first NBA title.
With the series tied 2-2 and Game 5 in Oracle Arena, Golden State was 9.5-point favorites and receiving just 34% of the tickets mostly due to the high point spread.
Golden State ended up winning the game, 104-91, behind 37 points and 7 three-pointers from Steph Curry.
