Yahoo Sports NBA betting: Nuggets still NBA Finals favorite, but Heat odds see huge shift with win
After Game 1 of the NBA Finals, money started coming in on a Denver Nuggets sweep. It was understandable, though ultimately misguided.
The Nuggets looked great in a Game 1 blowout win. They have been fantastic the entire postseason. Before Game 2, 43% of money in the BetMGM market for the exact outcome of the Finals was on the Nuggets winning the series 4-0. The odds on a Denver sweep dropped from +450 to +350 with all of the bets.
It's like nobody had been watching the Miami Heat.
The Heat had a great fourth quarter on Sunday night and took Game 2 to even the series. It's the type of tough win right after a loss that has defined Miami's postseason.
Miami isn't favored to win the NBA Finals after one win at Denver, but the odds are much shorter.
Heat with a huge win in Game 2
After Game 1, the Nuggets' odds to win the championship were -700. Then Game 2 happened.
The Nuggets moved all the way back to -275 with the loss. The Heat's odds after Game 1 were +500 and bettors who had paid attention to Miami this postseason probably jumped on that. Miami won and its odds to win the championship were cut to +220.
The Heat weren't supposed to beat the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. They were underdogs against the New York Knicks in the second round. The Boston Celtics were big favorites to beat Miami in the Eastern Conference finals.
This is a heck of a run the Heat are on and Sunday night's win showed they're not done yet. Maybe the No. 8 seed out of the East can actually win it all.
Miami an underdog for Game 3
The Heat might get a key player back for Game 3. Guard Tyler Herro broke his hand in the first round, but he is close to returning to the lineup. The problem for the Heat would be finding him minutes. It's not like coach Erik Spolestra wants to mess with the chemistry the Heat have had the past few weeks.
It will be a tough series for the Nuggets to win. Denver is a 2.5-point road favorite for Game 3, but that just seems to be a repeat of history. The Heat were often underdogs in the playoff games leading up to the NBA Finals and they kept winning.
Perhaps the Nuggets get right back on track and take back home-court advantage with a win in Game 3. The Heat hit 17-of-35 3-point attempts in Game 2 and that seems unlikely to repeat. Perhaps with a few more missed shots by Miami, the Nuggets can win on the road.
But it's hard to bet against the Heat. Anyone tearing up a ticket on the Nuggets to sweep the series was reminded of that.
