June 13, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) and forward Draymond Green (23) celebrate during the first half of Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
- Warriors win Game 5 over Celtics, now big favorites to win NBA championship
- Boston loses consecutive games for the first time in the 2022 playoffs
- We take a look at the updated Finals odds below and share our top betting tips
The Golden State Warriors are one win away from returning to the top of the mountain.
Coming off a 104-94 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the Dubs will be looking to win their fourth championship since 2015.
Unsurprisingly, GState is now an overwhelming favorite in NBA championship odds.
2022 NBA Finals Odds
| Crew | Odds |
|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | -400 |
| Boston Celtics | +320 |
Odds as of June 13 on FanDuel Sportsbook
After dropping to a -150 favorite following their crucial Game 4 win, the Warriors moved to -400 favorites for the title. Boston, meanwhile, is now listed at a +320 series price.
Analysis of the Warriors vs Celtics series
Perhaps the biggest criticism of this edition of the Warriors was their lack of support around Steph Curry. Golden State, at least for one game, silenced that noise as their star guard struggled mightily on Monday night.
A game after essentially saving the Warriors’ season with a 43-point bombshell, Curry was held to 16 points on 7-for-22 shooting. That included a 0-for-9 mark from downtown – the first time that he hasn’t managed to land a silver ball since November 2018.
ANDREW WIGGINS😳 pic.twitter.com/hQRaS2Msin
— NBA Television (@NBATV) June 14, 2022
Andrew Wiggins led the Dubs with 26 points and 13 boards, following his 17-point, 16-rebound effort in Game 4, making the case for Finals MVP. Klay Thompson added 21, including a 5-for-11 mark from deep.
Draymond Green, widely criticized for his poor play in the Finals, had eight points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Jordan Poole and Gary Payton II combined for 29 points off the bench.
Jordan Poole with another long-distance buzzer-beater on ABC! pic.twitter.com/zkrcFE2uxC
—NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2022
Boston has lost consecutive games for the first time in this playoff, now 7-1 in this scenario. This is not uncharted territory for the Celtics, however. In the Eastern Final, they trailed the Milwaukee Bucks 3-2 in their best of 7, before rallying to win.
Their formula for success could be as simple as dealing with basketball. The Celtics turned the ball over 18 times, falling to 1-7 in the playoffs after 16 turnovers. If they go under-16 TO, Boston is a sparkling 13-2. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart combined for half of Boston’s turnovers in Game 6.
Jayson Tatum has 95 postseason turnovers, the most by a player in a single postseason. pic.twitter.com/2emuJt9tYv
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 14, 2022
With the stakes at an all-time high, Celtics head coach Ime Udoka rolled the dice with his stars and rotation, playing Tatum and Brown for the entire second half.
The Celtics literally throwing away a title is beyond frustrating. Don’t throw the ball. That’s it. It can’t be that hard
—Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) June 14, 2022
The results were mixed: Both helped spark Boston’s second-half surge, erasing a 12-point deficit and winning the third quarter (35-24) for the first time in the Finals. They shot 5 for 10 from the floor, with three 3-point marks.
They didn’t seem to pack much punch in the fourth quarter, however, shooting a combined 2-9, as the Warriors closed out Game 5 winning the final frame 29-20.
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What is the best bet?
Hopefully you’ve placed a bet on the Warriors well before the Championship Series, as there’s little value in jumping on them at these current odds. They have a chance to clinch Boston in Game 6, with a Game 7 at Chase Center in their back pocket if needed.
Barring a major injury, there’s probably no way GState won’t always be the series favorite, even if it goes the distance.
Be hot, KT 🔥
📺 #NBAonABC pic.twitter.com/reA682eHlC
– Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 14, 2022
Curry won’t play as badly again, but can his co-stars play at a proper level again to help close it out? The Cs have the deepest roster, but were unable to find the best combination of size, shooting and ball handling for a full 48 minutes.
Still, this is a great opportunity to bet on Boston (if you haven’t already). These will probably be the longest chances you can get on a team this close to winning a championship. Boston is just 6-5 at home in the playoffs, but that’s setting up for a Game 7 win-win. Buckle up.
Pick: Celtics (+320)
Eric Rosales
Writer and Sports Editor
Having worked in and around the sport since 1997, Eric is truly a seasoned expert. The two-time journalism graduate specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to the CTV Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric’s work has appeared in local and national publications.
