A vintage performance from the Golden State Warriors during Wednesday’s Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals has the club seven wins from their fourth title in eight seasons.
The Warriors, thanks to a breakneck offense that shot 56.1% from the floor and hit 10 of 16 3-point attempts, shellacked an overmatched Dallas Mavericks squad 112-87 in Game 1.
Seven different Golden State players, led by Steph Curry (21 points), scored at least 10 points in the victory, including all five of the team’s starters on Wednesday.
The Warriors broke the Mavericks’ collective will, thanks to outscoring them by double digits in the game’s first and third stanzas, with a 24-18 margin in favor of the home side in the fourth for good measure.
Now, Golden State and Dallas must collect themselves before doing battle again from San Francisco’s Chase Center at 6 p.m. Pacific time Friday, in a game that TNT will televise nationally.
Already the California sports betting NBA title favorites, the Warriors' odds improved after the Game 1 beatdown.
Sports betting is not legal in California, but two initiatives on November's ballot could add retail and mobile sports betting if both are approved.
Mavericks-Warriors Series Schedule
- Game 1: Warriors 112, Mavericks 87 (Golden State leads series 1-0).
- Game 2: Friday, 9 p.m. at Golden State.
- Game 3: Sunday, 9 p.m. at Dallas.
- Game 4: May 24, 9 p.m. at Dallas.
- Game 5: May 26, 9 p.m. at Golden State (if necessary).
- Game 6: May 28, 9 p.m. at Dallas (if necessary).
- Game 7: May 30, 8 p.m. at Golden State (if necessary).
Warriors Expand Commanding NBA Title Odds Lead
Here’s a rundown of the latest Warriors odds on sports betting apps entering Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.
One thing that emerges when you glance at the Warriors’ NBA title odds on the country’s four largest online sportsbooks is how far they’ve separated themselves from the pack.
Golden State has gone from +130 to win it all on Caesars Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook earlier this week to +100 on each.
The Warriors also have upped their odds lead on BetMGM and DraftKings Sportsbook, going from +150 to +110 on the former and from +135 to +100 on the latter.
Overall, Golden State is ahead of consensus No. 2 team, the Miami Heat, on each site, with the Heat sitting anywhere from +275 (BetMGM) to +320 (DraftKings Sportsbook).
After that, you’ll find the Boston Celtics in third position on all four sites, with odds ranging from +320 (DraftKIngs Sportsbook) to +340 (FanDuel Sportsbook).
The Mavericks are last on all four sites, with odds ranging from +900 (BetMGM and DraftKings Sportsbook) to +1000 (Caesars and FanDuel).
Updated NBA Title Odds
Warriors Heavy Favorites to Win Game 2
Another theme that emerges from the quartet of national sportsbooks is that Steve Kerr’s team should win Game 2 comfortably over their visitors from the Lone Star State.
Both DraftKings and FanDuel have Golden State at -6 in Game 2, while BetMGM and Caesars have the Warriors as 6.5-point favorites on Friday night.
For those looking to make a moneyline wager, you’ll find the Warriors anywhere from -255 (FanDuel) to -275 (BetMGM) in Game 2.
In between, you’ll find the home side at -260 on DraftKings and -270 on Caesars.
Whether the Warriors will avoid a similar fate to the Phoenix Suns, who also went up 2-0 on the Mavericks before losing four of five to drop the second-round series, remains to be seen.
But as of now, Golden State is in the proverbial driver’s seat when it comes to 2022 NBA title odds, with Friday’s Game 2 being no exception to that rule.
