Total is set correctly, no doubt about it. Game 1 had pretty much everything. Both teams traded heavyweight blows. It was high paced the entire game. Harden went off and Paul also did his thing as well. Houston was beating State at their own game until...........State overpowered them in the second half.
Houston is extremely talented on offense, but State is on a completely different level offensively. When Durant/Klay/Curry are dialed in, there is no stopping them, especially Durant. There is no way around it. So what is Houston's next move?
If they go out playing the same way in Game 1, they lose again. They will be playing exactly the way State wants. State has far too much offensive firepower to continue getting into a shooting match. Mike D'Antoni knows this. Game 1 he let them go out and try to offensively overpower them. Game 2 is going to be entirely different.
So this is what is most likely going to happen.... Houston is going to attempt to slow the game down. They are going to play a little more defense and they are going to play a little more physical. At times, Golden State also doesn't have a problem going along with the opposing teams tempo, as long as they feel they are in control. (a recent example of this would be their series against San Antonio)
It is absolutely crucial that Houston wins at least one game at home. So either #1... they change their approach and slow the game down and play some defense or #2.... they once again get into a dikk measuring contest only to inevitably get overpowered later in the game and be down 0-2 going back to States home court.
This is an intriguing series (from an offensive standpoint). So much offensive firepower on both sides. This may sound crazy to compare, but this reminds me of the first Holyfield/Bowe fight (Good big man vs Good small man). Both were exciting fighters and packed some power and had skill, but at the end of the day, the bigger man won the fight because the smaller man fought the bigger mans fight. Holyfield being at a physical disadvantage, changed his entire game plan for the second fight and instead of trying to overpower Bowe by standing in there and trading blows........ Well we all know who got the win for the rematch.
Not saying the Houston will win if they change their approach, but it's better than doing the exact same thing they did in game 1.
$2200 on the UNDER 225.