Warriors-Celtics NBA Finals Game 3 Same-Game Parlay

Bet on this three-leg, same-game parlay with +425 odds at SI Sportsbook for Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Warriors.

Author:
Kyle Wood
Publish date:
Jun 7, 2022

In this story:

Boston Celtics

Golden State Warriors

The NBA Finals resume in Boston on Wednesday evening with the series tied, 1-1.

Golden State scored a convincing win Sunday after the Celtics stole Game 1 on the road. Boston briefly replaced the Warriors as the favorites to win the title, but that changed after Game 2.

The Celtics are 6-0 after losses this postseason, which would lead one to believe they have something for the Warriors back at TD Garden. Boston is a 3.5-point favorite at SI Sportsbook, which was the spread in Golden State’s favor for Game 1.

Some trends have emerged as these teams have traded blows for two games—favorites are 1-1, the over has hit once as has the under.

So, what bets can you count on in Game 3? I combined three wagers I like for the first game in Boston with SI Sportsbook’s bet builder.

Regular-season record: 117-113-2
Play-in/playoffs record: 77-78

Bet on the NBA Finals at SI Sportsbook

Jun 5, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) during game two of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center. — Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 2 Boston Celtics (Series tied, 1-1)

Time: 9 p.m. ET | ABC
Spread: Warriors +3.5 (-110) | Celtics -3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Warriors (+138) | Celtics (-163)
Total: Under 212.5 (-110) | Over 212.5 (-110)

Leg 1: Steph Curry Over 26.5 Points

The best defense in basketball hasn’t had much of an answer for the best shooter in the league so far. Curry has taken advantage of blown coverages that have left him wide open behind the three-point line and the Celtics have paid dearly for those defensive lapses. In his sixth trip to the Finals, Curry is averaging 31.5 ppg. That includes six threes per game on 46% shooting. He went over on his point total in both games in San Francisco and I expect that to continue in Boston, even though I’m anticipating a low-scoring game (more on that later). Curry’s field goal attempts are already up in this series and he could be in line for an even heavier workload on the road after playing just 32 minutes in the Game 2 blowout.

Leg 2: Under 212.5 Total Points

The Celtics and Warriors felt each other out in Game 1 in a display of offensive excellence—228 combined points were scored, including 40 total three-pointers. That breakneck scoring pace slowed down considerably in Game 2, which felt like a given considering the defensive resumes of these championship teams. Just 195 points were scored in Game 2, though the drop off was more attributable to Boston failing to break 90 points than Golden State, which scored just one fewer point. With the Celtics back in front of their home crowd, the offense will rebound and the defense should remain locked in. Boston has held Golden State under 110 points in both Finals games, something that only happened once to the No. 1 playoff offense in the Western Conference finals. I expect that trend to continue in a hostile environment in a hard-fought, low-scoring defensive slog.

Leg 3: Jaylen Brown Over 5.5 Rebounds

Betting Brown’s player props has been a wild ride in the postseason. I don’t have a great record of picking when he’s going to have one of those unstoppable shooting nights and when he’s going to disappear, like he did in Game 2 after picking up an early second foul while off to a great start. His stickiest stat has been his rebounding numbers. With his 6’6” frame, Brown is an excellent rebounding guard. He grabbed 6.1 boards per game in the regular season and upped that to 6.8 in the playoffs. So far in the Finals, he’s corralling 6.5 rebounds despite playing just 28 minutes in the second game due to foul trouble and the insurmountable deficit the Celtics faced in the final quarter. With Brown on the court for presumably a longer shift at home, expect him to snag at least six boards, something he’s done in nine of his last 10 games.