NBA Finals: Best Bets for Celtics-Warriors
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Now that the calendar has flipped to the month of June, it means several things: We are only weeks away from NFL training camps, the NHL conference finals are underway, the final leg of the Triple Crown will be run and the NBA Finals have arrived!
In 2022, we have Steph Curry and the Warriors facing Jayson Tatum and the Celtics. For many bettors—like myself—the NBA can not hold a stick to the excitement generated by March Madness. Therefore, the only way to have any interest in this event is to have some investments on the outcome.
Our SI Betting team dove into how you can make money to pay for summer vacations by reviewing markets released by SI Sportsbook and coming up with our best bets.
Let’s take a look at the wagers offered by our team of betting and fantasy experts…
Check Out the Latest Odds at SI Sportsbook
Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
SI Betting’s Kyle Wood:
A lot of times for these roundtable picks I try to chase value. This time, I’m going with what I feel like is more of a lock and the odds certainly indicate as much. I’m taking the over on 5.5 games. It would shock me if either team failed to win twice. The most likely outcome on SI Sportsbook is the Warriors winning in seven games, which helps inform this pick. Take into account the recent series history between Boston and Golden State (the Celtics have a winning record against the Dubs since Steve Kerr took over) and the proven ability of the C’s to win on the road, where four of a possible seven games will be played, and this series is sure to be a long one. If you’re feeling bold, go all the way and take it to go seven games at +200 odds. My series pick is Celtics in seven (+600), so over 5.5 games is a step down.
BET: Over 5.5 Games (-200)
SI Betting’s Matt Ehalt:
This has to be Steph’s year, right? One of the greatest players ever doesn’t have a Finals MVP despite his three rings. It’s now a major storyline. Yeah, I see that changing by the end of this series. Steph gets his first Finals MVP and getting him at -111 odds (not far off from a typical spread bet) seems like solid value. Yes, Jayson Tatum at +175 is better value. But I believe the Warriors and Steph get it done and I like the odds being offered.
BET: Steph Curry MVP (-111)
SI Video’s Doug Vazquez:
The Celtics have been the best team in basketball since the calendar turned to 2022. I don’t remember a more battle-tested team in recent memory. On the path to the Finals, this squad shut down Kyrie, KD, Giannis and Butler while winning two Game 7s. They now face Steph Curry, who could prove more problematic than any of the aforementioned surefire Hall of Famers. In order for the Celtics to win this series it will be crucial to limit Steph’s effectiveness and I expect Marcus Smart to be glued to his hip for the next 6 games. The DPOY will also be relied upon to control the offense and push the pace against a fast Warriors team. Tempting to look at Tatum here and they will definitely need buckets from him, but at the end of this series, Smart could be the X factor and at getting more than 20- 1, I will sprinkle a little here.
BETS: Celtics 4-2 Correct Series Score (+500); Marcus Smart Finals MVP (+2200)
SI Fantasy’s Craig Ellenport:
Everyone loves a good storyline and Steph Curry finally winning an NBA Finals MVP would be nice. Alas, that’s not going to happen with the Celtics so focused on defending Curry. And that just brings us to an even better storyline: the culmination of Klay Thompson’s comeback. After missing two and a half seasons, Thompson has fought his way back to the big stage. He’s averaging 19.8 points in the playoffs this year, and at +1400 odds I like his chances of getting really hot the last few games and capturing the Finals MVP.
BET: Klay Thompson Finals MVP (+1400)
SI Betting’s Frankie Taddeo:
There are better investments than NBA wagers (especially with the allure and excitement of the NHL finals) but I will throw some pizza money on two longs hots in the MVP markets. I believe Golden State will beat Boston, but laying -161 in the series market is not a lucrative wager. Instead, let’s target two players who will need to step up if the Warriors are indeed to earn the hardware, Andrew Wiggins has emerged as one of Golden State’s top scoring options in the playoffs. As we know, Boston will likely place top defender Marcus Smart on Steph Curry - which should open up looks for other players to see increased scoring opportunities. The 2014 No. 1 pick back is averaging 15.8 points per game and has posted a double-double in four of his last eight games in the playoffs. The other option that is intriguing in this market is Klay Thompson, who is the club’s second-leading scorer behind Curry at 19.8 points per game on the strength of shooting 39.9% from beyond the arc. Thompson only played 32 games in the regular season - his first action on the hardwood since 2019 after suffering a torn ACL and a torn Achilles. Bettors should always target players who have ‘extra motivation’ and truly understand what it means to have the opportunity to reach the pinnacle after enduring a devastating injury. Thompson checks every box.
BETS: Klay Thompson Finals MVP (+1400); Andrew Wiggins Finals MVP (+2500)
SI.com’s Robin Lundberg:
I won’t overthink this. I believe the Warriors and Celtics are fairly evenly matched and with Boston’s ability to both defend and spread the floor with size, I believe they can win the series if they don’t make too many self inflicted mistakes. So, my best bet is simply for the Celtics to take the series since that is returning positive value.
BET: Celtics To Win Series (+130)
Frankie Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program ever offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Frankie is SI Betting's Senior Analyst and provides his significant experience and resources in the sports betting scene. You can follow Frankie on Twitter @Frankie_Fantasy for his latest betting and fantasy insights from Las Vegas.
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