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The Golden State Warriors (28-26) visit the Portland Trail Blazers (26-28) on Wednesday night! Action tips off at 10:10 p.m. ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Warriors-Blazers prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Golden State has won two straight games and thus sits in seventh place in the Western Conference. The Warriors covered 47% of their games while 62% went over the projected point total. Portland has lost two straight games and dropped to 12th place in the West. The Blazers covered 52% of their games while 54% went under. This will be the second of four meetings between the two teams. Earlier, Golden State won the first matchup 118-112 at the end of December.
Here are the Warriors-Blazers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Warriors-Blazers Odds
Golden State Warriors: +2.5 (-110)
Portland Trail Blazers: -2.5 (-110)
Over: 234.5 (-110)
Under: 234.5 (-110)
How To Watch Warriors vs. Blazers
TV: NBCS Bay Area, Root Sports
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Warriors Could Cover The Spread
Golden State has stayed the course despite an injury to Stephen Curry. Specifically, Golden State features an elite offense that ranks second with 118.4 PPG. They do an excellent job moving the ball and finding open shooters. The Warriors average the most assists in the league with 29.7 APG. Consequently, they also lead the league in threes, averaging 16.6 per game. They utilized the three-ball to great effect in their prior win over the Blazers, draining 17/34 triples. Although they will surely be missing their star, the Warriors are notably 8-8 without Steph. That being said, the Warriors have struggled on the road this season as they are just 7-20 away from Golden State.
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With Steph out, the Warriors rely heavily on their pair of sharpshooting guards. Jordan Poole has been the biggest beneficiary of Curry's absences. In those 16 games, Poole averaged 27.6 PPG and 4.8 APG. As a result, Poole has shown time and time again that he has the ability to carry the Warriors to cover games. He was the catalyst in their earlier win over Portland, scoring 41 points and dishing out six assists. Poole was especially efficient in the win, shooting 14/23 and hitting 5/10 threes.
For as good as Poole has been with Curry out, Klay Thompson was the one who stepped up in their most recent game. Thompson drained 12 threes en route to 42 points in their win over the Thunder. While he can't be expected to drop 40 again tonight, it certainly isn't out of the question given his play this year. For the season, Klay averages 21.3 PPG and 4.2 threes per game. Additionally, the sharpshooter has been his usual self from beyond the arc, making 41% of his threes.
The X-factor for Golden State tonight is forward Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins has battled injuries this season and hasn't been nearly as effective as he was in his All-Star season last year. That being said, he looks like he's getting healthier and is coming off a strong 18-point outing on Monday night. As their best perimeter defender, he faces a tall task against Portland's plethora of offensive threats but should be up to the task.
Why The Blazers Could Cover The Spread
Portland finds itself on the outside looking in tonight as they sit two spots back of the play-in game. That being said, the Blazers have a great chance to cover tonight thanks to their strong offense. While Portland ranks in the middle of the pack in scoring, they are lethal from beyond the arc. Consequently, the Blazers average the eight-most threes per game while shooting the seventh-highest percentage from deep. An underrated part of their success is their ability to get to the line as they make 20.1 free throws per game – fifth-most in the NBA.
Portland is led by their pair of talented guards. Damian Lillard averages the fifth-most points per game with 30.8 PPG. He remains a talented playmaker as well, ranking in the top 10 with 7.2 APG. Earlier, Dame was lights-out in their win over the Warriors, scoring 34 points. With three 40-point games in his last five appearances, expect Lillard to come out firing in a must-win game.
Anfernee Simons has quietly had a breakout season this year, averaging 22 PPG and 4.1 APG. Additionally, Simons is lethal from beyond the arc. He shoots 39% from deep while making 3.7 threes per game. With 21+ points in five straight games, Simmons should give the Warriors fits considering their struggles on the defensive end.
Final Warriors-Blazers Prediction & Pick
Golden State has some of the worst home/road splits in the league and I expect their road troubles to continue again tonight. Ride the home favorites with confidence.
Final Warriors-Blazers Prediction & Pick: Portland Trail Blazers -2.5 (-110)
