You will agree with me that the Golden State Warriors have been an unstoppable force, reaching the last five NBA Finals. Out of the five, the Warriors have snapped three. Still, the other two, even the bookmakers got it wrong as LeBron James, leading the Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors spoiled the show in 2016 and 2019 NBA Finals respectively.
2016 NBA Finals
In the previous year, GSW had won the finals edging out Cleveland 4 – 2. It was a team effort with Iguodala, the unlikely hero, and also the Finals’ MVP. The following year, the NBA Finals was a repeat, but this time, the bookies got it wrong. Golden State Warriors were the favourite team considering the form, and the fact the Warriors had dominated Cleveland. The Finals looked done when the Warriors were leading 3 – 1, but LeBron James and company had other plans overturning the Warriors’ lead with the finals ending in favour of the Cavs.
2019 NBA Finals
In the 2019 NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors were going into their fifth NBA Finals in a row. The Warriors had been dominant over their archrivals the Cavaliers in the two previous Finals. This time, the opponents were not Cavaliers, but the Toronto Raptors who had clinched the Eastern Conference title.
While the bookies had tipped the Golden State Warriors to win it, they were in for a rude shock when the game was won 1, 3, 4 and 6 ending the Warrior’s dominance. Kawhi Leonard led the riot from the Raptors’ side. He finished as the Finals MVP contrary to what most pundits had predicted.
In the above instances, the pundits, experts and bookies got it wrong when setting the odds for the Finals, and the MVP, as well as other related bets. Let’s see if this year’s NBA Finals favourites, the Lakers, will clinch the title.