Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors Game 1 Odds & Free Pick

As far as NBA championship series match-ups go, fans and bettors alike couldn’t ask for any better this season than a Warriors-Celtics showdown, which tips off with Game 1 Thursday night in San Francisco. Golden State’s won three League championships over the last seven seasons while Boston, well, we all know what Boston’s about. And this looks to be a good, long series – should be fun.

The Warriors are chalked as -155 favorites to win this NBA championship series, with the Celtics getting +135 as the underdogs.

Here’s how we homeworked Game 1 of these Finals, with our free NBA playoffs betting pick.

NBA Betting Odds

The NBA playoffs betting lines opened Golden State at -3.5 for Game 1, with an over/under of right around 212.5. Both those figures were holding steady in the early betting action, but we now see some -4 and 213.5 at some betting shops.

Celtics-Warriors Game 1 NBA Betting Preview

Boston reached this NBA championship series by outlasting Miami in seven games in the Eastern Conference finals, winning that Game 7 in Miami last Sunday 100-96. The Celtics lost the first game of that series, later trailed two games to one, won Games 4 and 5 to go up three games to two, and lost Game 6 at home but won Game 7 on the road.

So Boston is back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.

The Celtics began these playoffs by sweeping Brooklyn out of the first round in four games, then beat defending NBA champion Milwaukee in seven games in a conference semifinal series. So Boston is 12-6 SU, 11-6-1 ATS this postseason.

Golden State, meanwhile, reached this NBA Finals by beating Dallas in five games in the Western Conference finals, clinching that series with a 120-110 win at home last Thursday. The Warriors won the first three games of that series, let the Mavericks avoid the sweep by losing Game 4, then won Game 5 in front of the home folks.

So Golden State is back in the NBA championship series for the sixth time over the last eight seasons.

The Warriors opened these playoffs by dismissing Denver in five games in the first round, then disposed of Memphis in six games in the conference semis. So Golden State is 12-4 SU, 9-7 ATS this postseason.

Golden State finished two games ahead of the Celtics in the regular-season standings, but Boston managed to split the season series SU and played 1-0-1 ATS. The Warriors led the first meeting back in December by 20 points in the second quarter, blew it all but rallied late to win 111-107. Then in March, Boston won in San Francisco 110-88, a game that Golden State G Steph Curry left in the second quarter with an injury.

In fact, going back a few seasons, the Celtics are 6-1 SU and 5-1-1 ATS over the last seven meetings with the Warriors.

NBA Betting Trends

• The Celtics are 7-2 SU and 7-1-1 ATS on the road this postseason.
• The Warriors are 9-0 SU and 7-2 ATS at home this postseason.

Totals Report

• The Under is 10-8 in Celtics games this postseason.
• The Under is 10-6 in Warriors games this postseason.
• The Under is 8-2 over the last ten meetings between these two teams.