The 2015-16 NBA Finals continues as the Warriors will head to Cleveland looking to clinch the championship on the Cavaliers court after they lost game 5 at home. Continue reading for our NBA Finals Game 6 Preview and Betting Tips.
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Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors (Friday 11am AEST)
The Cavaliers were able to pull off a massive win in game 5 to keep their championship hopes alive and send the series to a game 6. They will return home in front of their fans with the desire to send the series to the maximum but it will be a much tougher task, as Draymond Green will be back in the line up for the Warriors. The defending champions missed Green, as he is a playmaking forward that is also their best defender. He also allows the side to play small ball more efficiently and takes the pressure off Stephen Curry to create opportunities.
Klay Thompson had a massive first half as he hit 6 of his 8 three point shots but he cooled off into the second half as the Warriors were blown away. Andrew Bogut suffered a first half injury and it isn’t clear if he will be able to participate in the rest of the series. They will miss his defensive ability but luckily they have a lot of depth at the centre position.
However, the real reason the Cavaliers were able to extend the series and avoid elimination is because Kyrie Irving and Lebron James combined to put the team on their back as they scored 82 of the teams 112 points. James came out with a different mindset, as he wasn’t looking to create opportunities for his teammates but instead was attacking the rim and not settling for jump shots and not driving with the intent to kick the ball and it clearly paid dividends for the side. Irving had a monster game as he shot the ball very efficiently as he dropped 17 of his 24 attempts.
If the home side is able to get the same production from their two star players they will be nearly unstoppable but with the return of Green to the line up the Warriors defence will improve drastically. He is a key piece to their success and even though he may not be the one-on-one defender on James or Irving, his ability to cover from the weak side and prevent a clear lay up at the rim is vital. Last year the Warriors clinched the series in six games and lifted the trophy on the home court of the Cavaliers and we are predicting them to repeat it this year with Green coming out to seek vengeance for missing out on Game 5.
TIP: Warriors to win - $2.21 with Sportsbet
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Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
