Oklahoma Thunder Center Steven Addams got kicked in the nads but he still got back up and helped his team win game 3 of the NBA playoffs Western Conference Finals. Which is a good representation of the Thunder’s spirit when confronted with the favorites when it comes to betting on basketball. Last night Oklahoma City defeated Golden State 133-105 to take and lead the series 2-1. The Thunder outscored the Warriors by 18 points in the paint, outrebounded them by 14 and blocked eight shots to Golden State’s one. Oklahoma also went small for stretches with Serge Ibaka at center and finished the game with 29 fast-break points.
In addition to losing the game, the Warriors may lose Draymond Green, if he is suspended for the aforementioned kick to the Addams’s nether region – which is the second time he has done so in two games. A potential suspension would not bode well for either Green or the Warriors. The only time they’ve taken the court without Green this season they lost to the Denver Nuggets. He is one of the best NBA players but last night wasn’t his night.
Not only was he hit with suspension-worthy flagrant foul, but he finished a career-worst minus-43, the worst plus-minus showing in a postseason game since at least 1997. He shot 1 for 9, committed four turnovers and made a series of mistakes following the kick that culminated with a foul of Westbrook as he attempted a long three-pointer.
In spite of that disappointing performance, Green remains a key piece of Golden State’s machinery. His absence could very well have an impact on the outcome of the series, which is something one should consider when making use of a sportsbook to bet on NBA. The Warriors remain the betting on basketball favorites at -122, but the Thunder has already shown that anything can happen in this series.
The Warriors have been in this predicament before, trailing 2-1 in a playoff series twice in the 2015 championship run. LeBron James carried Cleveland to two wins in the first three games of last year’s 2015 finals, while the Memphis Grizzlies sprung out with a lead after the opening three games. Both teams suffered the same fate, losing the next three games and the series rather decisively.
Cleveland and Memphis were wounded animals, exhausting their energy early on prior to conceding to their fates. The Thunder are different, with two superstars, a head coach who excels under playoff pressure and a window that might finally be angled just the right way. This might be the perfect timing for betting on basketball on Oklahoma and SBG Global is the perfect sportsbook to bet on NBA.