After splitting the first two games of this NBA championship in San Francisco, the teams head East for Game 3 in Boston Wednesday night. Golden State opened these Finals as a -145 favorite to win it, with the Celtics getting +135 as the underdogs. Now, down to a best-of-five with home-court advantage flipped to the Celtics, this NBA Finals is listed at a pick ‘em.
Here’s how we homeworked Game 3 of this championship series, with our free NBA playoffs betting pick.
NBA Betting Odds
The NBA playoffs betting lines opened Boston at -3.5 for Game 3, with an over/under of right around 212.5. Both those figures were holding steady in the early betting action.
Anyone thinking the Warriors might win this game outright could get around +135 on the money line.
Warriors-Celtics Game 3 NBA Finals Betting Preview
Boston took the opener of this NBA championship series last Thursday 120-108, but Golden State bounced back to win Game 2 Sunday night 107-88. The Warriors only led 52-50 at the half Sunday, then exploded for a 35-14 third quarter, capped by a half-court bomb by Jordan Poole at the quarter buzzer, and breezed from there for the victory and the cover at -4.5.
Golden State shot 45 percent from the field Sunday, held the Celtics to 38 percent FG shooting, outscored Boston in the paint 40-24, and won the turnover battle 19-12.
Also, after Game 1 played over a total of 214, Game 2 played way under a total of 213.5.
Boston shot 51 percent from the field in winning Game 1 and hit 21/41 from 3-point range, including seven in a row at one point during its game-winning second-half run. But we had a pretty good feeling the Celtics couldn’t pull that trick again Sunday.
With Sunday’s win/cover, the Warriors are now 13-5 SU and 10-8 ATS this postseason.
With Sunday’s loss, Boston is now 13-7 SU, 12-7-1 ATS this postseason.
Golden State finished two games ahead of the Celtics in the regular-season standings while the teams split their two-game season series. But we should point out that Warriors G Steph Curry missed most of the game Golden State lost due to a foot injury.
- Get more details: Golden State at Boston Game 3 Betting Stats
NBA Playoffs Betting Trends
Golden State is only 3-4 SU, 2-5 ATS on the road this postseason.
Boston is 5-4 SU, 4-5 ATS at home this postseason.
Totals Report
- The Over is 11-7 in Warriors games this postseason.
- The Under is 11-9 in Celtics games this postseason.
- The totals are split 2-2 in Warriors-Celtics games this season, which are averaging 210 total points against an average O/U of 216.
