The Golden State Warriors have leapt out to a 2-0 lead, but the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James are not to go quietly into that goodnight.
The Cavs host Game 3 as the series shifts to Cleveland, and it can be expected that Tyronn Lue makes the proper adjustment to foster a much more competitive game on Cleveland’s homecourt.
James, too, should be ready to play his best ball in front of the hometown crowd, and we are going to take a look at a handful of selected prop bets that the oddsmakers at Bovada have set for Game 3 which will tip off at 8 PM (Central) on ABC.
Will Stephen Curry Record a Double-Double?
Yes (+250), No (-325)
Last game Stephen Curry had a triple-double with 32 points, 11 assists and 10 boards, as the Dubs won by 19-points in a lightly contested effort. Golden State recorded 132 points, looking as unstoppable as ever, but does that necessarily mean the one-time MVP continues his assault of Kyrie Irving in Cleveland? We are unsure. Betting this prop is difficult due to how dominant Curry has been, but also because of the adjustments expected to be made by Lue. As cheap as it seems, we are saying it is best to stay off the Curry prop and call this a PUSH.
Will Kevin Durant Record a Double-Double?
Yes (-105), No (-125)
The odds are slightly in favor of Kevin Durant not recording a double-double, but we like the YES on this one. Durant had 33 points and 13 boards in Game 2, while also notching six assists and five blocks. The former Oklahoma City Thunder team leader is playing some of the best ball of his NBA career, and it seems to be coming ever-so-easy for Durantula in this series. The 13 boards do not seem to be much of an anomaly, either, not from a 6’10” forward whose board work is so desperately needed in the Dubs big-man deficient lineups. Center Zaza Pachulia played just 13 minutes in Game 2 and had only two rebounds, so we like Durant to grab the double-figure boards required, and the points will of course be no problem. YES.
Will LeBron James Record a Double-Double?
Yes (-350), No (+275)
LeBron James seems like a near-lock to pull this off back on his homecourt with plenty to prove. Oddsmakers set the line heavily in favor of a YES, too, and we concur. James had 29 points and 11 rebounds in Game 2, but he also had a game-high 14 assists, recording a triple-double in the lopsided loss. What more can Cleveland ask of its hometown hero, is the question, really? James played 39 minutes and he may see 40-plus tonight, as this could be the series’ closest game thus far given that the first two were blowouts. James should record a triple-double, making this an obvious YES.
Will Draymond Green Record a Triple-Double?
Yes (+700), No (-1400)
In Game 1 we predicted a Draymond Green Triple-double, and he fell short because Green has averaged just four assists per game through the first two games. He is averaging 10.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in this series, and it seems that the Cavs have been able to mitigate his high-post passing quite well. Green is not having a series reflective of his great season, and we expect the quasi-struggles to continue tonight. Green may reach double-figure scoring, but the assists and boards are slow in coming and the -1400 Odds for NO are still a good value given Green’s lack of statistical dominance in this series.
Stephen Curry over/under 28.5 Points
Over 28.5 (-110), Under (-120)
Stephen Curry has been locked in, but Klay Thompson (8 of 12, 22 points) also came out of his shell in Game 2. Curry scored 60 points in Games 1 and 2 combined, and he is shooting 18 of 39 in the series while hitting five threes a game. Cleveland should come out with better defensive focus, however, on its homecourt. The matter is whether Kyrie Irving can stop Curry at all, or whether Mike Brown decides to use Andre Iguodala more heavily to control Curry. These defensive adjustments will loom largely, and much like the double-double bet, we are saying to stay away from Curry props once again, calling this a PUSH.
