NBA Finals: Bettors Love LeBron James and Underdog Cavaliers

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers aren’t used to playing the underdog, but that’s where they’re at against the Warriors. 

When you see a “Beware of Dog” sign on your evening stroll you take notice, just as bettors did when they saw the Cleveland Cavaliers set as +200 underdogs in their NBA Finals series against the Golden State Warriors. Then bettors jumped all over LeBron James at +175 to win the Finals MVP.

Sports Interaction NBA Finals Odds

James had another fantastic season while helping the Cavs finish first in the NBA Central at 53-29. Then he took it to another level when Kevin Love was hurt as Cleveland sandwiched a couple of series sweeps of the Celtics and Hawks around a Game 7 win over Chicago to get to the Finals.

The LeBron James Effect

“It’s the LeBron James Effect – no question,” a Sports Interaction oddsmaker says. “The biggest name sometimes attracts the most action and that’s certainly the case here. The Warriors were the best team in the NBA in the regular season and they’ve been equally as impressive in the playoffs. But the Cavs have LeBron and when you have LeBron, you always have a chance.”

So far Sports Interaction has seen three times the money on the Cavs to win the series than the Warriors, which has moved the Cavs from +200 at the open all the way down to +165. The Warriors were -250 series favorites originally, but now sit at -196.

And if you’re looking for a reason why those numbers have shifted so much, you just need to look at the NBA Finals MVP handle.

NBA Finals MVP

“Right now, 90 percent of our Finals MVP handle is on LeBron James at +175,” says Sports Interaction’s oddsmaker. “That’s even with Steph Curry having an incredible postseason. He’s currently the -222 favorite, but it’s nothing but LeBron.”

James averages 27.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game so far in the playoffs. Curry is putting up 29.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.4  assists per game.