NBA Playoff Odds Preview: Spurs vs. Warriors

After delivering a huge comeback victory in the series opener the Golden State Warriors look to go up 2-0 on the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals when they clash in Game 2 on Tuesday night.

It looked like the Spurs were going to cruise to an easy victory in Game 1 after taking a 20-point lead into halftime. Things changed quickly in the third quarter after the Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard left the game due to an ankle injury.

With Leonard sidelined for the rest of the game Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant got the comeback started and pushed Golden State to a 113-111 victory. The win maintained the Warriors’ perfect playoff record, which now stands at 9-0 straight up. However, they did fail to cover the 10-point spread, dropping them to 5-4 against the spread in their nine wins.

Curry finished with a game-high 40 points, while Durant added 34 points in the win. LaMarcus Aldridge had 28 points and eight rebounds to lead San Antonio, and Leonard finished with 26 points and eight rebounds in just under 24 minutes.

The win was also the Warriors' sixth in a row SU at home, but they’re only 2-4 ATS in that stretch. Golden State boasts a 15-1 record SU in their last 16 games at home, but again aren’t a solid pick for bettors at 7-7-2 ATS.

The oddsmakers at the Bovada Sportsbook have effectively counted the Spurs out after their Game 1 implosion. The latest series odds have Golden State listed as a massive -2500 favorite. The Spurs check in as a +1200 underdog.

After being listed as double-digits underdogs in Game 1 the Spurs will be double-digit underdogs again in Game 2 with Leonard considered very doubtful. In the postseason so far the Spurs are 2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS when listed as the underdog. In their last 13 games as an underdog San Antonio has been a moneymaker for bettors at 9-3-1 ATS.

Following Game 1 of the series the Spurs and Warriors have now clashed four times this season, with each side posting two wins SU. The Spurs have the advantage ATS at 3-1. During the regular season the Spurs, without Leonard, did beat the Warriors 107-85. However, don’t put too much stock into that game as San Antonio was an 11-point favorite as the Warriors sat out Curry, Durant and Draymond Green.