The Golden State Warriors are arguably the most popular sports team in America, and their rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers is the stuff of legends. You can’t get away from it, whether you’re a sports fan or not; it’s inescapable. This year, you can catch all the action live from Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, as the series shifts there for the duration. After the jump, find out more about this year’s matchups and make your own predictions for the game!
History
The modern iteration of the Warriors vs Lakers rivalry dates back to the 1960s. Although basketball had previously been popular in the region, it wasn’t until the rise of the AFL that American fans really started to tune in to the sweet science. The ABA was created to provide basketball to the smaller towns and to allow more games between more teams, and it was during this time that the Lakers and the Warriors first connected.
The Lakers were one of the eight teams that competed in the first ever championship in 1966, and one of the main reasons behind their victory was their incredible defense, which blocked every shot by the Knicks and prevented them from seriously challenging the Lakers’ dominance in the Western Conference. It was at this point that the Warriors became known as the ‘Baby Lakers’ due to their inability to contain the long ball in the paint. This is still a common taunt to this day. However, just as the ABA was gaining momentum and attracting more fans, the NBA was launched, and the competition for players and fans alike became fierce.
Since then, the two franchises have played in seven total finals, with the Lakers winning four of them. The two teams have also met in the playoffs 31 times, with the Lakers holding a slight advantage (19-16).
The Present
While the modern-day rivalry has its roots in the 1960s, it has truly taken off as a popular activity among sports fans since 2014, when bets started being taken seriously by the general public. This is mainly thanks to the rise of social media and the various online forums that allow sports betters to congregate and keep in touch. Before then, spread betting was mostly for the sports fanatics who would go to great lengths to get a good line or two on their favorite team. These days, it’s common to see spreads as high as nine points or more.
This brings us to the present, and the 2018 NBA Playoffs, where we can expect to see more exciting games and higher scoring totals thanks to more efficient offenses and potent offenses in general.
Who Do You Support?
Now that we’ve gotten the historical and contemporary rivalries out of the way, let’s take a look at which team you should support in this year’s matchup. Bear in mind that these are just some of the many betting options available, so you should do your own research and find the best one for your personal situation. On that note, here are your 2018 NBA Playoffs betting odds:
- Over/Under 191.5 Points: The over is the favorite in this category, with odds of 1.41 vs. the under at sportsbooks monitored by OddsPortal.com. This year’s playoff teams are loaded with scorers, so it will be interesting to see how many points are on the board in these games.
- Will Giannis Antetokounmpo Win MVP?: The biggest question heading into the postseason was who would emerge as the best player from the Milwaukee Bucks. Would it be the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, Giannis Antetokounmpo? Or would his excellence be balanced out by the likes of Kyle Lowry and Chris Paul? Although the MVP race was closely contested, in the end it was Antetokounmpo who took home the award after having an incredible year.
- Prediction: Golden State Warriors: The Golden State Warriors are the pick to win the 2018 NBA Championship according to the majority of sportsbooks. Odds for them to take home the crown start at 3.76 to 1, with the underdogs, the Los Angeles Lakers, getting 11/4 odds. The spread between these two teams is 18.2 points, so there is a lot of confidence in this game. Especially since the betting odds for this game are so heavily loaded in the Golden State Warriors’ favor. These sportsbooks think that the dominance of the Warriors’ offense will be too much for the Lakers to handle.
- Will Kawhi Leonard Finally Win the Los Angeles Lakers Their First NBA Title?: The Los Angeles Lakers were the best team in the NBA during the regular season, and although they had a few hiccups along the way, they mostly controlled the playoff race all the way to the end. Coming off of last year’s disappointing seventh-place finish, the Lakers have a lot to prove to their fans. One of the things that they will be looking to do is finally bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy, which was left unclaimed last year in Brooklyn. With LeBron James recently deciding to join the Lakers, it appears that this year is their year.
- Series MVP: LeBron James: It’s not easy choosing a winner when there are two outstanding candidates for the award, but in this case it was probably the easiest decision for the voters. After a down year in which James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals but lost the Big One to the Warriors, the three-time MVP is coming off of a season in which he had another phenomenal year and helped the Lakers to their first NBA title. With the Cleveland Cavaliers taking a step back this year, it’s easy to see how James won his third consecutive MVP award with the Lakers.