We have betting tips for the NBA Finals Game 3 between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics on Thursday.

The series is tied at 1-1 following a convincing Warriors victory and the Celtics look to retain home-court advantage at TD Garden.

We look at the best betting options for Game 3 on Thursday, which is a pivotal game in the best-of-seven series.

NBA Finals Game 3 Betting Tips

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Boston Celtics vs Golden State Warriors Game 3 Prediction

There was a stark contrast in the two games played so far, but it makes for an exciting series.

The Boston Celtics did the job in Game 1 with a massive defensive performance and a huge fourth quarter. However, despite looking good early on Monday, they were terrible for the most part.

With the series tied at 1-1, it’s on the Celtics to hold the home-court advantage they stole early on, but it’s never that easy. Playing at TD Garden helps and playing in front of home fans is always ideal, but the Warriors are experienced and looking to reclaim their home-court advantage.

The Celtics have had little help from Jayson Tatum, who is suffering from a shoulder injury. He suffered it during Game 1 when trying to break a screen and his performances have been sub-par. For a player voted on the All-NBA first team, he hasn’t lived up to the hype.

Luckily for Tatum and the Celtics, the senior players have stepped up. It was Al Horford in Game 1 and Marcus Smart was good in Game 2, but getting at least 20 points from Tatum would go a long way to taking the 2-1 lead on Thursday.

It’s all about defence for the Celtics, who have two of the better two-way players in the NBA. Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown are excellent defensive players, but there was a lack of team effort in Game 2, so that needs to be remedied.

The situation won’t get the better of the Warriors, who have been in this position many times. The likes of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are used to the pressure of playing in the NBA Finals, which is why they’re being respected in betting markets.

The Warriors are $2.36 to win on the road, which is a fair price. They are easily capable of winning consecutive games and fans of the Warriors will jump on the odds. However, we’re going with the Celtics to win and cover the spread.

They have played too well during the finals to not win their NBA Finals home opener and every bucket will be cheered. It requires a big defensive performance but they’re up to the challenge.

Bet: Boston Celtics -3.5 @ $1.90

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Boston Celtics vs Golden State Warriors Game 3 Exotic Picks

We have talked about his importance on the defensive end but we think Smart could be in for a big scoring night as well.

He is a threat to knock down a few three pointers and punters get $2.20 for Smart to score 15+ points, which is worth locking in.

Another solid bet is Derrick White, who comes off the bench but he has been playing big minutes and putting up more than his fair share of shots. He’s a streaky shooter and he could get hot.

There is always value in first basket options and punters get massive odds for picking the first basket scorer and method of scoring. We are going with a Jaylen Brown dunk at $61, which is worth the fun of an early bet.

Brown is good at creating a path to the bucket and he could surprise them by driving to the rim for a grand slam dunk. The odds make it worth the risk in what is a tough market to successfully pick.

Bet: Jaylen Brown dunk first scoring play @ $61

About the Author: Daryl Curnow

After graduating from the University of Auckland (BA – English), Daryl was thrown into the world of sports and horse racing journalism.
Having worked as a racing journalist for two years, he decided to move into the online world of horse racing and sports writing. Coupled with his love of US sport, Daryl’s picks have been featured on various websites around the world and viewed by millions of readers. After years of honing his craft, Daryl became a professional punter in 2009 – with a focus on horse racing, NBA, NFL, and college sports. When he’s not working, Daryl tries to avoid making bogeys on the golf course.