The NBA’s version of the Final Four is set, and also three of the four teams still alive heading to the conference finals are not a surprise, for instance, two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors. Golden State tops the NBA odds to win the championship on its own quest to get a three-peat since it gets set to take on the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals. The Warriors are -165 favorites about the updated title odds on the NBA playoff lines.
The Blazers would be the longest shot on the tournament lines of the four teams left at +1700 on these NBA playoff odds as they prepare to meet the Warriors beginning on Tuesday in Oakland. The Milwaukee Bucks will be the next choice to win the NBA championship at +230 and will confront the Toronto Raptors (+750) in the Eastern Conference Finals beginning on Wednesday.
The largest question mark with regards to handicapping the rest of the NBA playoffs is the status of Golden State’s Kevin Durant, who was enjoying another outstanding postseason run before suffering a calf strain in Game 5 of the team’s second-round matchup with the Houston Rockets. The harm was feared to be much worse, and he may or may not be available at the Western Conference Finals; he has been ruled out for Game 1.
The Warriors managed to advance with a huge road victory in Game 6 with no Durant, and they could likely make it into the NBA Finals again if he does not play. Winning another title though could prove to be difficult with no if the team plays Milwaukee or Toronto.
Portland is quite well-coached and contains a backcourt that may give Golden State problem with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. The duo combined for 50 points at a 100-96 upset of Denver in Game 7, together with McCollum performing most of the damage with 37 points. Additionally they lacked 19 rebounds, nine assists and four steals between them, proving they could do more than just score.
The Blazers are heavier compared to the Warriors too, with the benches potentially becoming a bigger factor the more the series belongs. Portland has become more optimistic in this matchup also, winning four of the past six meetings following an 11-game series losing streak and covering five of their last seven. Golden State is a -550 favored on the series prices on the NBA playoff betting board.
Bucks are Rested Moving into the Eastern Finals
At the East, the Bucks earned a while off by knocking out the fourth-seeded Boston Celtics in five games while the Raptors went the complete distance of seven vs the third-seeded Philadelphia 76ers to get here.
Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard has become the best player in this year’s playoffs after removing Philadelphia with an unbelievable game-winning shot in Game 7 on Sunday and ending with 41 points at a 92-90 win. However, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo is your NBA MVP favored for the regular season and also has a much better group surrounding him heading to the conference finals.
The Bucks have won four of their past five meetings both SU and against the spread, with three of those games taking place on the road. Milwaukee’s capacity to win away from home is enormous considering that this squad routed Golden State 134-111 as a 5.5-point street underdog back on November 8 and has won in its last two trips to Oakland as well. The Raptors had the next-best road mark throughout the regular season at 26-15 supporting only the Bucks and Warriors in 27-14, therefore stealing a game or 2 may be the gap.
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