Best bets, player props to consider for Raptors-Warriors Game 6
As the Raptors-Warriors series shifts back to Oracle Arena, we dive into the best bets and player props to consider for Game 6.
Line: Warriors -2.5
Total: 211.5
The longer this series goes, the more it all starts to melt together. Schematically, both teams are throwing the kitchen sink at each other in what's starting to become a physical tilt. Between Kawhi Leonard's late-game heroics going for naught, Toronto head coach Nick Nurse's questionable timeout late in the fourth, a clutch performance from the Splash Brothers, and Kevin Durant's injury, Game 5 had a flair for the dramatic. All we need is conspiracy theorists claiming the Dubs went down 3-1 so they could storm back and win to compensate for 2016, and you can complete your NBA Finals bingo card.
Monday was the missed opportunity of missed opportunities for the Raptors. Despite the near-perfect record of teams up 3-1 in the NBA Finals, the loss was deflating; Toronto would have likely preferred to lose in blowout fashion rather than blow a six-point lead late on its home court. Golden State was always in this series because, well, it's the Warriors. But momentum has now completely shifted in the defending champs' favor as they gear up for their final game at Oracle Arena.
Durant will again be a non-factor after he departed Game 5 with an Achilles injury. The Dubs have looked far from perfect without him in this series, but they've played enough with him on the sideline that his absence hardly warrants a full-on adjustment. As the line dips from -3.5 down to -2.5 as of Thursday afternoon, we'd recommend backing the Warriors and banking on this series going the distance.
Klay Thompson Over/Under 3.5 made three-pointers
Thompson didn't start the postseason on an especially high note, drilling more than three triples just twice in his first 10 outings. But with the stakes rising and Durant sidelined, Thompson has turned it up a notch in The Finals; he's converted on four or more attempts from beyond the arc in each of his last three outings.
Marc Gasol Over/Under 19.5 points + rebounds + assists
Gasol had one of his best performances of these playoffs in Game 5, pouring in 17 points along with eight rebounds and a pair of assists. But he's scored in single figures in each of his last three contests following a double-digit performance. He's also gone for 19 or fewer combined points, rebounds, and assists in five of the last six road games.
DeMarcus Cousins Over/Under 11.5 points
Cousins has been the ultimate wild card in this series. In his second game back following a 14-game hiatus with a quad injury, he put up a double-double on the road, and he heads into Game 6 after draining a playoff-high 14 points on Monday. Still, Cousins has gone under the listed number in four of five games in this series while seeing more than 20 minutes of action only once.
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.