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The Portland Trail Blazers will take on the Golden State Warriors in a Western Conference battle. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Blazers-Warriors prediction and pick.
This is a matchup between two perennial playoff teams. Portland didn't start off the season on the right foot, but a recent four-game winning streak pushed them to the sixth seed in the west.
Meanwhile, the Warriors have had no trouble earning a playoff-caliber record. Golden State currently sits atop the NBA with a 16-2 record, with those two losses coming at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies and Charlotte Hornets. This will be an exciting matchup between two high-caliber teams, so let's get into the pick.
Here are the odds for Blazers-Warriors, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Blazers-Warriors Odds
Portland Trail Blazers: +6 (-108)
Golden State Warriors: -6 (-112)
Over: 225 (-110)
Under: 225 (-110)
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Why the Blazers Can Cover the Spread
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To no one's surprise, the Trail Blazers have been winning games because of their offense. Led by star point guard Damian Lillard, the Blazers have managed to put up a whopping 111 points per game, a number that is good for fifth-best in the league. Portland has also shot very well from the field, earning a 46% shooting percentage on the year. Over their last five games, the Blazers put up 118 points or more in four of them. This is clearly a dynamic offensive team that should give any team in the league trouble on defense.
Helping the Blazers is the fact that they won't be dealing with a fully healthy Warriors team. Shooting guard Damion Lee and small forward Andre Iguodala have both already been ruled out for this contest. That may not seem like the biggest deal, but both of these players are important contributors off the bench for Golden State. Playing without depth is always difficult, and the Warriors will have to pull it off in this one.
Why the Warriors Can Cover the Spread
Golden State has been the most dominant team in the league so far. The Dubs rank first in the league in points per game and in points allowed per game. Head coach Steve Kerr's unit is firing on all cylinders here, but what may be most important in this matchup is the defense. The Warriors have held their opponents to a 42% field goal percentage and a measly 36 baskets made per game. This is the perfect defense to slow down Lillard and the Blazers, as well as the perfect offense to take advantage of Portland's below-average defense.
While their overall record is impressive, the Warriors' record against the spread might be even more impressive. Golden State has been the best team in the league when it comes to covering, earning a 13-4-1 record in that category. On the other hand, the Trail Blazers have been one of the worst teams ATS. Portland has only covered eight out of 19 games played. It's very possible that the Blazers are getting a little bit too much credit in this spot.
Final Blazers-Warriors Prediction & Pick:
It's tough to trust Portland in this spot. They're coming off a bad loss to the Sacramento Kings, and they're a notoriously inconsistent team. Trust the Warriors at home here.
Final Blazers-Warriors Pick: Golden State Warriors: -6 (-112)
