After pulling off an incredible postseason run, winning the NBA title and going 16-1, where do the Golden State Warriors stand in Las Vegas' eyes?
Below are the five best against-the-spread postseason records by NBA champions since 1985, courtesy to research by ESPN Stats & Information.
1. 2011 Dallas Mavericks
ATS W-L: 16-4-1
Winning percentage: .786
The Mavericks won their only NBA title after entering the 2011 postseason with 18-1 odds to win it all (six teams had better title odds). Dallas was favored just 11 times in 21 playoff games but thrived in the underdog role. The Mavs ended up going 9-1 ATS as 'dogs and capped it off with a 105-95 win as five-point underdogs in Game 6 of the NBA Finals in Miami.
2. 2001 Los Angeles Lakers
ATS W-L: 12-3-1
Winning pct.: .781
Not only did the Lakers win 15 of their 16 playoff games in 2001, but they cashed in for bettors as well. Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal & Co. suffered just three ATS losses in the entire postseason, none of which came on the road. The Lakers finished 8-0 ATS away from home, including a 108-96 win as six-point favorites to clinch the title in Game 5 of the Finals in Philadelphia.
3. 1991 Chicago Bulls
ATS W-L: 13-4
Winning pct.: .765
The only Bulls team to crack the top five was the 1990-91 squad, which finished 13-4 ATS in the playoffs. Their breakthrough series came in the Eastern Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons -- the team that had eliminated them in three straight seasons. The Bulls not only swept the two-time defending champs but also covered in all four games. Chicago capped off Michael Jordan's first title with a 108-101 win as a two-point favorite in Game 5 of the Finals against the Lakers.
4. 2007 San Antonio Spurs
ATS W-L: 14-5-1
Winning pct.: .725
Of the five titles won by the Spurs, the 2007 team finished with the best postseason ATS record. After starting the playoffs with a home loss to the Denver Nuggets as 8.5-point favorites, the Spurs never trailed in a series again. San Antonio could have been higher on this list but actually failed to cover as a 3-point favorite in an 83-82 Finals-clinching win in Game 4 against the Cavaliers.
5. 2004 Detroit Pistons
ATS W-L: 16-6-1
Winning pct.: .717
The Pistons pulled the biggest Finals upset in recent memory by beating the Lakers as plus-500 underdogs. After falling behind 3-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New Jersey Nets, the Pistons went 10-2-1 ATS in their final 13 games. Detroit finished off the Lakers with a 100-87 win as a three-point favorite in Game 5 of the Finals.
Other notable champions
2017 Golden State Warriors
ATS W-L: 11-5
After going a remarkable 67-15 in the regular season, one year after a record 73-win season, Golden State went 16-1 SU in the postseason. Kevin Durant was unstoppable in the Finals, as the Warriors beat the Cavaliers in five games.
1987 Los Angeles Lakers
ATS W-L: 7-11
Considered one of the greatest teams in NBA history, the Lakers followed a 65-win regular season with a 15-3 SU record in the 1987 postseason. But not all those wins covered the spread for bettors, as the Lakers were just 7-11 ATS in the playoffs.
1996 Chicago Bulls
ATS W-L: 9-9
Including both the regular season and the postseason, the Bulls won 87 of their 100 games en route to winning the Finals in 1996. Chicago was favored in all 18 of its playoff games and finished with a 9-9 ATS record.
2002 Los Angeles Lakers
ATS W-L: 6-11-2
The Lakers started the 2002 playoffs with five straight ATS losses but ended up winning their third straight NBA title. Of all the champions since 1985, these Lakers had the worst postseason ATS mark.