Warriors vs. Raptors Odds, Prediction: Game 5 NBA Finals
The Toronto Raptors have three chances to win their (and Canada’s) first-ever NBA title. The first shot comes Monday night at home in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.
NBA Playoffs Point Spread and Betting Analysis
With all due respect to anything involving the Grey Cup, the last major sporting event with as much significance in the city of Toronto as Monday night’s Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Raptors and Golden State Warriors was Game 6 of the 1993 World Series. Of course, Joe Carter hit one of the most memorable home runs in MLB history in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Jays rallied to win the game 8-6 and the series over the Philadelphia Phillies.
What the Raptors are on the verge of, however, is unprecedented. Back in 1993, the Montreal Expos were still around so there were some Canadians who weren’t Blue Jays fans. There always have been several Canadian teams in the NHL. The Raptors are the national basketball team.
On Sports Interaction’s updated odds to win the NBA title, Toronto is -1000 and Golden State +550. The favoured exact result is Raptors finishing things off Monday at -167. The Warriors winning in seven is the +600 long shot. Golden State did rally from down 3-1 in the 2016 Western Conference semifinals against Kevin Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder.
The underdog has covered seven of the past eight meetings between these teams.
Golden State Warriors
The big question, as it has been all series, is whether Durant finally makes his debut off a calf injury. We thought there was a pretty good chance of that happening in Game 4 and the Warriors were privately encouraged as well. But all reports are that Durant’s body just isn’t ready and that he’s not likely to play in Game 5. With the Dubs facing elimination, one would think that if Durant doesn’t play Monday he’s not going to at all. Durant’s probably not in great basketball shape regardless considering he hasn’t played a competitive game since May 8. The Warriors looked flat in Friday’s 105-92 loss in Game 4, but there were two bright spots. The first was Klay Thompson returning from a hamstring injury that cost him Game 3. He looked great with 28 points. The second was big man Kevon Looney making a surprise return. He was allegedly out for the series with a collarbone injury suffered in Game 2 but was back and had 10 points and six rebounds in 20 minutes.
Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 3-0 this post-season when it has a chance to win a playoff series at home. The Dinos beat Orlando 115-96 in Game 5, Philadelphia 92-90 in Game 7 on Kawhi Leonard’s epic shot, and Milwaukee 100-94 in Game 6. There’s zero question that Leonard is going to win his second NBA Finals MVP award if the Raptors close this out. He’s a -1000 favourite on that prop at Sports Interaction. Leonard had 36 points in Game 4, including 17 of the team’s 37 in the third quarter when Toronto took control. Might this be Leonard’s last game in a Raptors uniform? He figures to either be playing for them or the Los Angeles Clippers next year. Fred VanVleet continued his excellent play this series with eight points, six assists and four rebounds in Game 4. He did leave after taking an elbow in the face that knocked out a few teeth and required stitches, but he’ll be in there Monday.
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