Phoenix Suns no longer clear betting favorites to take home NBA Finals
Apr 22, 2022, 8:14 AM | Updated: 8:27 am
Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half of Game One of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Footprint Center on April 17, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
A Game 2 loss compounded by a Grade 1 hamstring strain to guard Devin Booker and a surging Golden State Warriors squad has moved the Phoenix Suns out of favorites territory to take home the 2022 NBA Finals.
Entering Phoenix’s Game 3 matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, the Suns trail the Warriors in at least three sportsbooks.
DraftKings currently has the Suns at +425 to win the championship behind the Warriors at +300. BetOnline.ag has similar odds, with Golden State sitting at +275 compared to Phoenix at +450, but also has the Boston Celtics in the mix at +450.
According to FanDuel, Phoenix (+550) not only trails the Warriors (+280), but also the Celtics (+500) as favorites.
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It’s been a week of back and forth in terms of betting odds following the Suns’ Game 2 loss to the Pelicans on Tuesday in their first-round matchup.
A lot of that can be credited to the unknown surrounding Booker and his hamstring strain.
While the Suns haven’t announced a timeline for the guard’s return, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Friday that Booker could miss 2-3 weeks with the injury. A potential Game 7 matchup between Phoenix and New Orleans would be 11 days from when Booker went down.
Before exiting Game 2 late in the third quarter, Booker rattled off 31 first-half points after a 25-point effort in a Game 1 victory.
On top of Booker’s injury, the Warriors and Celtics have appeared to hit another gear this postseason.
The Warriors sit at 3-0 after a Game 3 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. In the 118-113 win, the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole combined for 80 points. Power forward Draymond Green chipped in a game-high 10 assists to go along with five rebounds, two steals and a block.
The Celtics currently hold a 2-0 lead over the Brooklyn Nets ahead of Saturday’s Game 3 tilt. In the matchup, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 41 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds.
The Suns face off against the Pelicans at 6:30 p.m. Friday night. Tune to 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station for all the action.
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