2019 NBA Finals Game 3 Betting Odds and Preview: Raptors at Warriors



OSGA analyst Ross Benjamin provides an in-depth betting preview for Wednesday’s Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals between Toronto and Golden State. Be sure to read this insightful article and make yourself a more educated bettor.

Back to Historic Oracle Arena

The 2019 NBA Finals moves to Oracle Arena in Oakland on Wednesday for Game 3 of the series between Toronto and Golden State. Currently, the NBA betting odds at 5Dimes is showing Golden State as a 5.5-point home favorite and there’s a posted total of 212.5.

The series is currently deadlocked at a game apiece. The Raptors won the series opener 118-109 and covered as a 2.0-point favorite. That contest easily went over the total of 212.5. Golden State then rebounded to win Game 2 on Sunday night by a score of 109-104 despite scoring a mere 3 points during the game’s final 5 plus minutes. That contest also barely stayed under 213.5 thanks to Golden State’s previously mentioned offensive drought in the game’s closing minutes.

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Notable Stats from First 2 Games

The free throw shooting from both teams has been incredible during the first 2 games. Golden State and Toronto have collectively gone 99-112 (88.4%). Not only have both teams been extremely efficient with their free throws, the cumulative 56 attempts per game is a very high number by NBA standards. Both teams have made a tad over 80% of their free throws this season, but each is better than 88% in the first 2 games of this series, and that’s highly unlikely to continue.

Raptors Game 3 previewThe 3-point shooting in this series has seen Golden State hold an edge, and that’s not much of a surprise. Golden State has gone 25-65 (38.8%) and Toronto is 24-71 (33.8%).

Raptors Recent Betting Trends

Toronto has witnessed 7 of their 8 away games during these 2019 NBA Playoffs stay under the total. The average total in those eight contests was 213.7 and there were a combined 205.4 points scored per game.

Toronto has seen 6 of their last 7 games played at Oracle Arena go over the total. The average total in those contests was 216.2 and there were 225.9 points scored per game. During their only road game this season against the 2-time defending champion Warriors, Toronto was a 113-93 blowout winner. Ironically enough, that game stayed well under the total of 227.5.

Warriors Recent Betting Trends

You may be surprised to know that Golden State has gone a dismal 13-27 ATS (32.5%) this season as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5-points. Moreover, during the past 5 seasons, any NBA away underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Raptors) that’s facing an opponent (Warriors) coming off a road underdog straight up win has gone 52-18 ATS (74.3%). The average point-spread in those 68 games was 6.1, and the underdogs won 28 of those contests straight up. With no pun intended, this certainly doesn’t shape up as a favorable spot for Golden State.

Golden State Warriors NBA Finals betting previewGolden State is 0-5 ATS this season as a home favorite of 7.5-points or fewer after a game in which they were an away underdog. Additionally, they lost 3 of those 5 contests straight up.
The Warriors have gone over the total in 13 of their 17 games this season when there’s a total of 210.0 to 219.5. There was a combined average of 224.4 points scored per game.

NBA Playoffs Game 3 Betting Angle

Any NBA Playoffs Game 3 away underdog (Toronto) that’s coming off a home favorite straight up loss, and the series is currently tied 1-1, resulted in those away underdogs going 17-11 ATS (60.7%) since 2003. And they won 15 of those 28 games straight up.

Since 2007, any NBA Playoffs Game 3 away underdog that’s coming off a home favorite straight up loss in which they scored 103 points or more, and the series is tied at 1-1, resulted in all 7 of those games going under the total. Those contests went under the total by a substantial average of 14.1 points per game.

Injury Update

The Warriors presently have 3 key players listed as questionable for Game 3. Kevin Durant missed the first 2 games in Toronto and the Warriors series clinching Western Conference Finals contest at Houston. Durant’s status remains up in the air as of this writing.

Klay Thompson suffered a hamstring injury in the 4th quarter on Sunday night and didn’t return. He was seen limping noticeably during postgame camera shots.

The Warriors Kevon Looney who has been a key contributor this season also left Game 2 and didn’t return after sustaining a collarbone injury.

Despite all that uncertainty for Golden State, NBA odds across the sportsbook landscape have seem them go from an opening 5.5-point favorite to -6.0.

Ross Benjamin is a top sports analyst and one of the sports industry's most respected handicappers. Follow him on Twitter: @RossBenjamin1 or visit his website at RBWins.com


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