The Golden State Warriors’ quest for their seventh NBA title continues this week, with a showdown against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference final.
The Warriors reached the conference finals after beating the Memphis Grizzlies, 4-2, capped off by a 110-96 rout in Game 6 on Friday.
Now, coach Steve Kerr’s team enters the round of four against a red-hot Mavericks team that just upset No. 1 overall seed, Phoenix, in seven games.
The series pits Warriors guard Steph Curry, who ranks eighth in the NBA in scoring during the postseason (26.9 points per game), against Dallas’ Luka Doncic, who is averaging 31.5 PPG during the playoffs, ranking 2nd overall behind Giannis Antetokounmpo.
West Final Begins Wednesday
Curry and Doncic will be front and center for their respective teams in Game 1 of the series, which tips off from San Francisco’s Chase Center at 6 p.m. Pacific time on Wednesday, in a game that TNT will televise nationally.
California sports betting is not legal at this time.
There will be two competing measures on the November ballot looking to permit sports betting. One, led the some of the state’s tribes, would allow retail sports betting at tribal casinos. The other would permit online sports betting and is being supported by some of the largest sports betting operators in the country.
Warriors Favorites for NBA Championship
One theme that emerges when you glance at the NBA betting odds boards of a quartet of national sportsbooks is that the Warriors are the commanding title favorites in 2022.
Golden State’s titles futures range from +130 (Caesars Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook) to +150 (BetMGM), ranking well ahead of the consensus No. 2 Boston Celtics, who are listed anywhere from +190 to +210 to win the 2022 NBA Championship.
In between, you’ll find the Warriors at +135 to win it all on DraftKings Sportsbook, ranking ahead of the Celtics (+190), Miami Heat (+475), and Mavericks (+550).
Golden State Favored Heavily in Game 1
Another theme that can be gleaned by glancing at the quartet of sportsbooks’ odds boards is that Golden State is expected to win comfortably in Wednesday’s Game 1.
The Warriors are listed anywhere from -4.5 (BetMGM) to -5 (Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, and FanDuel Sportsbook) for Game 1, building on their strong performance during Game 6 of their previous series against the Grizzlies.
For those looking to plunk down a moneyline wager on Wednesday’s Game 1, you’ll find the Warriors anywhere from -210 (DraftKings Sportsbook) to -225 (BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook).
The oddsmakers at FanDuel Sportsbook are in between listing Golden State at -215 in Game 1.
Whether Golden State can bring its first title in four years to the Bay is to be determined on the hardwood over the next few weeks.
For now, what we know for certain is that the Warriors are the consensus favorite among oddsmakers to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy next month.
