The Toronto Raptors won Game 1 of the NBA finals, but the Raptors are still a underdog in the series against the Golden State Warriors. As betting continues in each game and on the series, there is also a more worthwhile bet and pledge between the Tech communities in Toronto and Silicon Valley.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals went Toronto’s way. Pascal Siakam scored a career playoff-high 32 points in leading the Raptors to a 118-109 victory over the Warriors in front of a sellout crowd of 19,983 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto Thursday night.
The majority of the bets were on the Warriors, who opened a 1-point favorite four days before Game 1. William Hill, which operates more than 100 sports books in Nevada, New Jersey and West Virginia, had more than 70% of the tickets and bets on the Warriors in Game 1. But sharp money moved the Raptors to -1, and the Raptors closed a 1.5-point favorite at many sports books, and even -2 at William Hill and Bet America in New Jersey.
The Warriors were a -300 favorite to win the series but the adjusted series price from both William Hill and the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas has dropped Golden State to -150 heading into Game 2 Sunday night in Toronto. The Raptors opened a 1.5-point favorite with the total up to 215.5.
The Raptors are shooting for their first NBA Championship, and a chance to take a 2-0 series lead Sunday is huge. Especially with Warriors star Kevin Durant still out. But Durant is expected to return from a right calf strain at some point midway through the NBA Finals, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
The Warriors Andre Iguodala hobbled off the court late in Game 1, and he’ll be evaluated Friday.
Iguodala is a key defender, but the Warriors have to do much better overall in Game 2 to slow the Raptors. Toronto’s offense was efficient in Game 1 hitting better than 50% field goals. That despite Kawhi Leonard shooting 5-for-14 from the floor. Leonard still had 23 points thanks to 10-of-12 free throws, but Siakam’s 32 points included 14-of-17 FG’s. Toronto fans chants of DE-FENCE throughout the game apparently did not resonate with the Warriors.
A closer look inside the arc from the Vegas Stats & Information Network showed the Raptors rewarded their fans and bettors faith by making 59% of their 2-point shots to 47% for the Warriors.
A look at the betting activity and live NBA odds tracked by Sports Insights shows Warriors bettors are right back on Golden State in Game 2 with early support of more than 65% of the bets on the Warriors as a slight 1.
