The fans at Oracle Arena will be treated to a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors when they take their seats on Thursday.
Cleveland At Golden State
When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, June 4, 2015
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ABC
PREDICTION: Cavaliers 112, Warriors 108
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Oddsmakers currently have the Warriors listed as 6-point favorites versus the Cavaliers, while the game’s total is sitting at 203½.
The Warriors haven’t played since dispatching the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference finals on May 27 and the Cavaliers have been resting since finishing off the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern finals on May 26.
The finals are being billed as a clash of current MVP Stephen Curry and four-time MVP LeBron James, and both players are having strong postseasons. Curry is averaging 29.2 points and 6.4 assists and has knocked down a postseason record 73 3-pointers while James is averaging 27.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 8.3 assists but shooting just 17.6 percent from 3-point range. The Warriors are searching for their first NBA title since 1975 while Cleveland is looking for its initial crown, and both teams are itching to finally hit the hardwood. “We’re restless,” James said at a press conference. “We don’t like this much time off.”
The lengthy break has given injured point guard Kyrie Irving a chance to heal up and his ailing left knee has improved and his right foot is no longer a problem. But despite the rest time, he won’t be 100 percent for the opener and will be still operating under the same thought process he did in the Eastern finals against Atlanta. “Just like I said before — and I’m going to keep saying it — it’s a day-by-day thing,” Irving said at a press conference. “Continue to get treatment and do what it takes.”
Team record: 65-31 SU,48-48 ATS
Current Streak: won 7 straight games.
Cleveland is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Cleveland is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Cleveland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Shooting guard Klay Thompson was a beneficiary of the long break and has been cleared to play in the opener after recovering from a concussion suffered in the finale against Houston. Thompson completed the league’s concussion protocol and resumed practicing on Monday and pronounced himself ready to go. “I think it was mild,” Thompson said a press conference. “It wasn’t really severe but I think it was perfect timing because I got a week off to get perfectly healthy.”
Team record: 79-18 SU,54-42-1 ATS
Golden State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Golden State’s last 12 games
Golden State is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games at home
Golden State is 24-1 SU in its last 25 games at home
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