NBA Finals Game 3 Betting Odds Preview

The NBA Finals heads to Boston on Wednesday night as the Celtics host the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 with the series tied 1-1.

The Warriors knotted the series on Sunday night with a 107-88 win as a 3.5-point favorite. Stephen Curry led the home side with 29 points, while Kevon Looney chipped in with 12 points and seven rebounds. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 28 points, while Al Horford, who scored a team-high 26 points in the series opener, was limited to only two points.

The biggest difference for the Celtics between Game 1 and Game 2 was their shooting. Boston won the opener 120-108 as a 3.5-point underdog behind 50.6 percent shooting from the field. In their Game 2 loss, the Celtics shot only 37.5 percent.

Boston favored as series shifts to TD Garden

In Game 3 the Celtics are 3.5-point home favorites at Bovada Sportsbook. Following their Game 2 loss, the Celtics are 13-7 straight up and against the spread in the playoffs. They’ve been surprisingly mediocre at home during their playoff run with a 5-4 SU record and a 4-5 ATS mark in nine games. That lackluster record at home in the playoffs isn’t new as Boston is 8-10 SU and 7-11 ATS in its last 18 home playoff games.

When favored this postseason, the Celtics are 7-4 SU and 6-5 ATS. In their last 16 games as a playoff favorite, they are 10-6 SU and 9-7 ATS.

The Game 2 win bumped up the Warriors’ playoff record to 13-5 SU and 10-8 ATS. Most of their playoff losses have come on the road, where they’re 3-4 SU and 2-5 ATS in seven games during their run to the Finals.

Warriors playoff underdogs for just third time

This is only the third time during these playoffs that the Warriors have been listed as an underdog. In their previous two games, they were 1-1 SU and ATS. This season Golden State was an underdog 22 times and posted a 10-12 SU record and a 12-10 ATS mark. In their last eight games in the playoffs as the underdog, the Warriors are 5-3 SU and 6-2 ATS.

In four matchups this season, including the playoffs, the Warriors and Celtics have split the games 2-2 SU, but Boston is 2-1-1 ATS. The last time they played in Boston on December 17, the Warriors won 111-107 as a 4-point road favorite. In their last nine games in Boston, the Warriors are 6-3 SU and 3-4-2 ATS.

With the series tied 1-1, the oddsmakers at Bovada are listing Golden State as a -120 series favorite. Boston is an even-money series underdog.