May 26, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) reacts after a play against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half during game five of the 2022 western conference finals at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
- The Golden State Warriors are back in the NBA Finals after ousting Dallas Thursday night
- The Warriors own the best odds to win the title
- See the latest updated odds, and if we think Golden State is the best bet
The Golden State Warriors were the team of the 2010’s.
They’ll be making their case to also be prominent in the 2020’s, after advancing to the NBA Finals Thursday night, beating the Dallas Mavericks 120-110 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals
GState already owned the best 2022 NBA Championship odds, but they’ve since improved.
2022 NBA Championship Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | -155 |
| Boston Celtics | +140 |
| Miami Heat | +2600 |
Odds as of May 26th at FanDuel
The Dubs are now -155 favorites to claim their fourth NBA title in franchise history, after entering the West Finals with +185 odds. Not surprisingly, the Boston Celtics own the second-best odds, as they are on the verge of pushing out the Miami Heat to win the East.
Warriors Reboot To Finals
Basketball moves pretty fast, so two years out of the title series seems like an eternity for the Warriors, who had made five straight Finals appearances before the downturn.
The last time the Dubs played on this stage, then-Warrior Kevin Durant (remember that?) ruptured his Achilles in Game 5 against the Toronto Raptors.
SHOWTIME pic.twitter.com/imiiwmm5jl
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 27, 2022
The following game, Klay Thompson tore his ACL, and started a two-year basketball-less odyssey that also included an Achilles rupture too. Stephen Curry also missed all but a handful of games with a broken hand in 2020.
Curry, Thompson — delivering a 32-point gem in the closeout — and a rejuvenated Draymond Green are still the core of the title guts that won three chips in four year, and they’ve been good. but they’ve definitely needed help.
Steph on the steal ✅
Wiggins on the finish ✅#NBAConferenceFinals presented by Google Pixel on TNT pic.twitter.com/6j0ejYkOkf— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2022
The emergence of Andrew Wiggins as a two-way beast has probably been the biggest revelation. The 2014 top draft pick finally showed the total package in the West Finals, where he guarded Luka Doncic while working as a reliable release valve. He averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 rebounds while shooting better than 37% from three in the series.
Jordan Poole has been adopted as a third Splash Brother, starting earlier in the playoffs as Curry worked his way back from a foot injury before coming off the bench to help maintain Golden State’s top scoring attack in these playoffs.
Jordan Poole starts Q2 with 5 quick points on TNT. pic.twitter.com/z0BXQw4djI
— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2022
And veteran Kevon Looney has stabilized the roster since the Grizzlies’ elimination in Game 6. He posted a career-high 22 rebounds in that game, while also pouring in a career-best 21 points in a Game 2 win over the Mavericks. He capped the Mavs series with a 10-point, 18-rebound double-double on Thursday night.
Is Golden State the Best Bet?
Perhaps the biggest factor working for the Dubs is their health. Gary Payton II is the only key player missing, while Otto Porter Jr was hampered with a foot injury in the middle of the Dallas series.
The Warriors will have a few extra deals to heal, while watching the slugfest on the other side of the bracket. Miami and Boston have been beating each other up, and despite Boston laying the wood to the Heat in back-to-back games, there’s still a chance this series could go the distance.
If the Golden State Warriors win the NBA Championship ..
6 NBA Finals appearances
4 NBA Championships
8 yearsThat would be the best dynasty since Michael Jordan and the Bulls.
And there’s still plenty of time for more
— Ben Stinar (@BenStinar) May 24, 2022
Both sides have a laundry list of ailments to key players, so whoever advances to face the Warriors will unlikely be whole by the time the championship series kicks off June 2.
Golden State boasts the 2nd-best offensive rating the playoffs. How they stack up against either defense — Boston had the best defensive rating in the regular season and are second in the postseason, with Miami in fourth — will likely determine whether they hoist another Larry O’Brien trophy.
The pick: Warriors (-155)
Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV’s Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric’s work has appeared in local and national publications alike.