Warriors vs. Raptors 2019: Odds Suggest Toronto Has Almost No Chance To Upset Golden State In Finals

The Toronto Raptors are even bigger underdogs in the 2019 NBA Finals than you might think. It isn’t just that the Golden State Warriors are close to 1/3 betting favorites at various sportsbooks. A win for the Eastern Conference champions would be an upset of historic proportions.

According to ESPN, 20 teams have been 2/1 underdogs or worse in the NBA Finals over the last 50 years. Only the 2004 Detroit Pistons were able to overcome those odds when they upset the Los Angeles Lakers.

Toronto is a 5/2 (+250) underdog at a few Las Vegas sportsbooks. FanDuel Sportsbook in New Jersey gives the Raptors +230 odds to win the championship.

Golden State has been favored in the finals during all five years of their current dynasty. When they were upset by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, the Cavs began the series as +165 underdogs.

The Raptors do have some experience winning a series as heavy underdogs. It’s what happened last round when they won four straight games to eliminate the Milwaukee Bucks. As the East’s No.1 seed, the Bucks began the series as -275 favorites and the Raptors’ odds only decreased when they fell into a 2-0 series hole.

The Warriors, of course, are not the Bucks. Milwaukee’s core hadn’t won a single playoff series before this year. Since Steve Kerr became the head coach for the 2014-2015 season, Golden State has won 18 of 19 playoff series.

Kevin Durant’s calf injury is hanging over the series. The star forward has been ruled out for Game 1 and he’s unlikely to play in Game 2. It’s unclear if Durant will play in Game 3 when the series shifts to Oracle Arena.

The Warriors went 7-6 in the finals in the two seasons before signing Durant. Durant won consecutive NBA Finals MVP awards and led Golden State to an 8-1 finals record in 2017 and 2018.

Kawhi Leonard has an NBA Finals MVP on his resume. Durant’s injury allowed the Raptors’ star to grab the mantle as the best player in this year’s postseason.

Durant’s impending free agency could mean the Warriors’ dynasty is nearing its end. The 2004 Lakers were upset in the finals as their run of dominance came to a conclusion.

Toronto is hoping history repeats itself 15 years later.