Ben Margot / AP
Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala (9) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the second half of Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference finals Monday, May 30, 2016, in Oakland, Calif.
Friday, June 10, 2016 | 2 a.m.
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In local sports books, this year’s NBA Finals have been a historic bore.
The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers have produced an unprecedented level of non-suspense when it comes to the point spread. The Cavaliers’ 120-90 victory over the Warriors as 1.5-point favorites Wednesday made it two straight games where the winning team covered by more than 25 points.
That hasn’t happened in two games in the same Finals series in at least the last 25 years — as far back as the point-spread database at covers.com goes — let alone in back-to-back contests. With the Warriors having also won comfortably in Game 1 — by a 104-89 margin as 6-point favorites — those packing casinos to watch the Finals are still waiting for the sweat this matchup at first seemed set to supply.
The betting odds continue to call for it happening sooner rather than later. The Cavaliers opened as 2-point favorites ahead of tonight’s Game 4, which airs at 6 p.m. on ABC, at Quicken Loans Arena.
It’s the first time the Warriors have entered as underdogs in consecutive games since May 2014, when they lost a seven-game first-round series to the Los Angeles Clippers. They’ve only taken points on six previous occasions this season, going 4-2 against the spread.
For as alien as the circumstances leading into Game 4 may seem, there’s a familiar feel to how the Finals got there. The Cavaliers routed the Warriors in Game 3 by switching to a small lineup with Richard Jefferson starting in place of the injured Kevin Love.
The adjustment harkens back to Cavaliers’ star LeBron James’ first title in Miami when the Heat went to a small-ball approach with Chris Bosh at center to beat the Thunder in 2012. The Warriors took the strategy much further in last year’s series, starting eventual Finals MVP Andre Iguodala over traditional center Andrew Bogut.
It remains to be seen how hybrid lineups impact Friday’s game. Love hopes to return from a concussion suffered in Game 2, which would likely make the Cavaliers revert to their original starting five.
The Warriors could counter by sliding Draymond Green into their center spot, an approach that was lethally effective throughout the regular season. As Golden State’s leading scorer in the Finals, Green is the favorite at Even money to win the NBA Finals MVP award.
Regular-season MVP Stephen Curry trails at plus-165 (risking $1 to win $1.65) because of a prolonged shooting slump. Curry finding his stroke might be the easiest route to excitement in the Finals.
Sports books need something to break out of a languid state.
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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