The NBA Finals matchup is set – the Denver Nuggets finally have their opponent. After the Boston Celtics flirted with making history as the first team ever to come back from a 3-0 series deficit in the NBA Playoffs, they failed to show up in Game 7. Miami won by 19 points and left Boston for Denver late Monday night.
The series will tip off on Thursday night in Denver, with the Nuggets champing at the bit after nine full days off. For the Heat, they are trying to become the first No. 8 seed to win the NBA Finals.
Miami Heat at Denver Nuggets – Game 1
- Miami Heat (219.5)
- Denver Nuggets (-8.5)
The Nuggets are big favorites in Game 1, which is a little surprising considering that the Heat won three of the four games played in Boston. They also won two games in Milwaukee and a game in New York. The Heat have been excellent on the road in these playoffs.
Miami is 13-5 against the spread this postseason and 7-3 ATS on the road.
Denver was supposed to be impressive in the playoffs. While Miami is a No. 8 seed, the Nuggets were the No. 1 seed. They beat Minnesota in five games, winning all three games at home.
They knocked off Phoenix in six games, winning all three games at home. And they swept the Lakers, winning twice at home. Do the math, and you’ll see that the Nuggets are 8-0 at home in these playoffs and 5-3 against the spread.
Miami and Denver played twice this season, and the Nuggets won each game and covered the spread in both.
NBA Finals Series Bets
The Nuggets are big favorites in Game 1, and they are big favorites overall.
- Denver Nuggets (-400)
- Miami Heat (+300)
The payday on a Nuggets NBA championship isn’t great, at -400. But you can add to your payout by betting on the exact series score.
- Nuggets 4-0 (+450)
- Nuggets 4-1 (+225)
- Nuggets 4-2 (+400)
- Nuggets 4-3 (+325)
- Heat 4-0 (+4000)
- Heat 4-1 (+2000)
- Heat 4-2 (+750)
- Heat 4-3 (+950)
Based on the NBA Finals odds, the most likely result is the Nuggets win in five games. If the Heat are going to win, it will be with a Game 6 closeout in Miami. A Heat sweep of the Nuggets is clearly the biggest longshot.
NBA Finals MVP
- Nikola Jokic (-350)
- Jimmy Butler (+350)
- Jamal Murray (+1200)
- Bam Adebayo (+5000)
- Caleb Martin (+5000)
Nikola Jokic has a pair of NBA MVPs, and he is the favorite to add a Finals MVP to his trophy case. Jimmy Butler is the obvious favorite from Miami.
And if you saw Caleb Martin’s 26 points in Game 7 on Monday night, he might be worth a play at +5000.
Pay Per Head Software
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