NBA futures and props favor the Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA Finals. The Lakers were favored in basketball futures and props before the series began and they have remained the favorite throughout. With the 2-3-2 format the Lakers were in good shape leading 2-1 in the series after Game 3.
NBA futures and props favored the Lakers in the first two games of the series and the Celtics in the next three. Home court advantage is highly respected in NBA odds and the home team has been favored in every game. That doesn’t mean the home team always covers though. In fact, in the first three games of the series, the home team covered the spread just once. The public and the oddsmakers oftentimes give the home team too much credit and that has been the case so far in this series.
Two years ago in the NBA Finals the Lakers couldn’t find a way to win in Boston but they took care of that hex in Game 3. The Lakers won an ugly game three in which neither team shot the ball very well. Derek Fisher was the catalyst for the Lakers in the fourth quarter and the Lakers regained the home court advantage. Even if the Celtics win Game 4 and Game 5 they would still have to find a way to win another game in Los Angeles to win the title.
Before this series began the Lakers were about a 2-1 favorite to win the series in basketball futures and props. Those odds have gone up with the Lakers winning two of the first three games in the series including a win in Boston.
The NBA Finals have been widely followed by fans around the world since the Lakers and Celtics are two of the most popular teams in the league. They are also two of the most storied franchises. The Celtics have won more championships overall but the Lakers are considered the premier franchise in the NBA today. The Lakers have the best player in the world in Kobe Bryant, the best coach in the NBA in Phil Jackson and they have one of the grittiest players in the game in Derek Fisher. It has all added up to the Lakers having a very good chance of defending their NBA title.