Warriors To Secure Title And Sweep In Game Four

The Golden State Warriors are one game away from securing the NBA Championship for the second time in three years.

The Warriors staged a late comeback in the fourth quarter of game three to put them on the brink of the crown and a potential whitewash victory.

The Cleveland Cavaliers produced a fine performance to put Golden State on the back foot, but were never able to pull away from Steve Kerr’s men.

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving were outstanding in the contest, but even their displays were not enough as the home side tired late in the game, allowing the Warrior to snatch the win.

Tyronn Lue’s men are now in the last chance saloon in their bid to win back-to-back titles. The Cavs pulled off a comeback last season from a 3-1 deficit to win the crown, but on this occasion – winning four matches on the bounce may be beyond LeBron and company.

Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson proved to be clutch in the crucial moments to drive their side over the line.

Durant notched a tally over 30 points for the third game on the bounce in his bid to be named Finals MVP, highlighting the decisive impact he has made over the course of the series.

We’ll now break down the betting odds for potentially the final time in the 2016/17 season unless the Cavaliers can produce a fight back.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers needed a response to their defeats in the opening two matches of the series and LeBron and Irving came out firing to put the Warriors on the back foot.

James was operating at the peak of his powers, but due to the quality produced by Kerr’s men they were never able to pull away by a sizable margin to make their lead comfortable.

The 32-year-old was more aggressive in the final third of the court, firing 27 FGs at the net and converting 15 of his efforts. He made a series-high 9 attempts from the perimeter, sinking four of his three-points.

LeBron produced a 39-point display along with 11 rebounds and nine assists, but his exploits on the court appeared to get the best of him towards the end of the contest.

It was clear he was tiring in the fourth quarter after playing 45 minutes, allowing the Warriors to steal the win in the dying embers.

The Cavaliers skipper was supported by an equally fine effort from Irving, although his shooting from distance could well have made the difference, missing all seven of his three-point attempts.

The point guard notched 38 points over the course of the match, while his distribution was outstanding, putting severe pressure on the Warriors’ defense. However, he too suffered towards the end of the game after 44 minutes on the court.

Worryingly for the Cavaliers – their top two players produced their best and it was still not enough.

With only two days of recovery it’s highly unlikely that they will be able to match that standard of performance. As a result, there is huge pressure on Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson and JR Smith to ease the burden on the two men.

Golden State Warriors

For the first time in the Finals the Warriors were asked to prove their character after trailing for the majority of the contest. However, they showed the spirit of true champions and will be determined to secure their crown this evening against the side that ruined their dreams of immortality last term.

Durant was once again the decisive factor in the contest. His move from the Oklahoma City Thunder was the spark of controversy due to the immense talent that the Warriors already had on their roster. His presence has loomed large in the playoffs, with no team in the NBA seemingly capable of matching the firepower of Golden State’s offense in full flow.

The 28-year-old notched 31 points in the contest – his lowest output of the Finals thus far. However, he delivered in the crucial moment of the match firing a late three-pointer to hand his side the lead that they did not relinquish at Quicken Loans Arena.

Thompson got off to a slow start in the series, but he has come to the fore over the last two matches. He produced an outstanding display of accuracy in his shooting, making 61% of his FGs and 50% of his three-pointers, in his tally of 30 points.

The performance of his team-mate allowed Curry to roam around the court and conserve his energy for a late surge. He was deadly from distance, firing in five of his nine three-pointers, which proved to be the difference between the two sides.

The momentum is well and truly with Golden State and their potent trio of players will have rest of their side ahead of the contest, knowing that a similar effort will deliver the crown.

Betting Options

Cleveland gave their all in the last contest, but were not able to get over the line. Golden State will be smelling blood in the water in their desperation to secure the NBA Championship and earn the first whitewash in the Finals since 2007.

The Cavaliers will be exhausted physically and mentally by their exploits in the game three and it will be interesting to see if they can lift themselves one last time – even if just to avoid losing the series on home soil.

Golden State were far from their best for the majority of the match and will know that they are more than capable of elevating the level of their performance to see out the victory. As a result, backing them with SportingBet at 1.57Bet €100 to win €15757/100Bet £100 to win £157-175Bet $100 to win $1570.57Bet HK$100 to win HK$157-1.75Bet Rp100 to win Rp1570.5700Bet RM100 to win RM157  to earn the victory is the best option to take.

The Warriors will be rampant and could put a dispirited Cleveland outfit to the sword – therefore taking the -14.5 spread for the handicap for Kerr’s men at odds of 4.00Bet €100 to win €4003/1Bet £100 to win £400+300Bet $100 to win $4003.00Bet HK$100 to win HK$4003.00Bet Rp100 to win Rp400-0.3333Bet RM100 to win RM400 with PaddyPower is a solid punt.

Durant will be aiming to solidify his claim to be Finals MVP and backing him at odds of 1.83Bet €100 to win €18383/100Bet £100 to win £183-120Bet $100 to win $1830.83Bet HK$100 to win HK$183-1.20Bet Rp100 to win Rp1830.8300Bet RM100 to win RM183  with Bet365 to score over 30.5 points is a tantalising bet.

Tips Summary

Golden State Warriors To Beat Cleveland Cavaliers
Friday 9^th June 21:00 ET (Sunday 10^th June 02:00 BST)
Odds: 1.57Bet €100 to win €15757/100Bet £100 to win £157-175Bet $100 to win $1570.57Bet HK$100 to win HK$157-1.75Bet Rp100 to win Rp1570.5700Bet RM100 to win RM157

Golden State Warriors To Cover -14.5 Handicap
Friday 9^th June 21:00 ET (Sunday 10^th June 02:00 BST)
Odds: 4.00Bet €100 to win €4003/1Bet £100 to win £400+300Bet $100 to win $4003.00Bet HK$100 to win HK$4003.00Bet Rp100 to win Rp400-0.3333Bet RM100 to win RM400

Kevin Durant To Score Over 30.5 Points
Friday 9^th June 21:00 ET (Sunday 10^th June 02:00 BST)
Odds: 5/6