MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES vs GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
When: 10:30 PM  ET, Monday, December 10, 2018
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California

TV: 10:35 PM
LINE: -10.5
PREDICTION: GOLDEN STATE , MINNESOTA

Oddsmakers currently have the GOLDEN STATE listed as -10.5 point favorites versus the MINNESOTA, while the game’s total is sitting at 226.

The Golden State Warriors look more like themselves lately and are racing back to their customary perch atop the Western Conference standings. The Warriors finished their five-game road trip with three consecutive wins and could have All-Star forward Draymond Green back when they begin a stretch with seven of nine at home by hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.

Golden State’s winning streak coincided with the healthy return of two-time MVP Stephen Curry, who averaged 30.7 points in the three wins, and Green’s return from an 11-game absence due to a toe injury could be the next factor in getting two-time defending champions back up to speed. “Getting Steph back changes everything. Knowing that Draymond is coming back continues that change,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “Those guys are in many ways our leaders out there for us and are the heartbeat with what Draymond brings defensively and pushes the ball. Our pace is going to pick up. Our guys know that. What Steph does out there night after night infuses the whole team with confidence.” The Timberwolves dropped the first stop of a four-game road trip 113-105 at Portland on Saturday while suffering through some breakdowns on the defensive end late. “We didn’t do what we were supposed to do,” Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. “I’ll leave it at that.”

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (13-13): Minnesota is just 2-9 on the road and began a stretch with 10 of 13 away from home with Saturday’s loss. Star center Karl-Anthony Towns recorded his 15th double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds in the setback but was 6-of-16 from the floor and is shooting 46 percent from the floor on the road while shooting 50.6 percent at home. Towns finished up the last homestand with 35 points on 13-of-20 shooting, 12 rebounds and six blocks in a 121-104 win over Charlotte on Wednesday.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (18-9): Green’s return could be a big boost to Golden State’s defense, and his teammates are looking forward to having their anchor back. “Lately, I feel like the communication hasn’t really been there, kind of second-guessing ourselves, especially on rotations,” Warriors forward Andre Iguodala told the San Jose Mercury News. “But when (Draymond’s) in the game, it’s night and day as far as I’m trusting him. Those are my best defensive games individually because I know where he’s at and know what he’s going to do.” Green, who got in a memorable shouting match with teammate Kevin Durant prior to his injury, is averaging 6.9 points and 7.5 rebounds.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Durant scored a season-low 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting in Friday’s 105-95 win at Milwaukee.

2. Timberwolves SF Robert Covington (knee) sat out Saturday’s loss and is day-to-day.

3. Durant scored 33 points in a 116-99 home win over Minnesota on Nov. 2.

PREDICTION: Warriors 123, Timberwolves 115

The post MINNESOTA vs GOLDEN STATE 12/10/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS vs MILWAUKEE BUCKS
When: 9:30 PM  ET, Friday, December 7, 2018
Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

TV: 9:35 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: MILWAUKEE , GOLDEN STATE

Oddsmakers currently have the MILWAUKEE listed as 1.5 point favorites versus the GOLDEN STATE, while the game’s total is sitting at 239.5.

Fresh off a trouncing of their former NBA Finals rivals and looking much more like themselves of late, the Golden State Warriors are seeking revenge for one of their worst losses. The Warriors, who suffered a 134-111 home loss to the Bucks on Nov. 8, will try to ride red-hot Stephen Curry to a victory when they visit Milwaukee on Friday.

Curry went down with a groin injury in the Nov. 8 meeting that kept him out the next 11 games, but he is quickly rediscovering his MVP form upon his return and followed up 30 points in a win at Atlanta on Monday with 42 on 11-of-20 shooting in Wednesday’s 129-105 triumph at Cleveland. The two-time MVP is 15-of-24 from 3-point range over the last two games, during which Golden State is averaging 128.5 points. The Bucks bounced back from a tough loss at New York by breezing past the Detroit Pistons 115-92 on Wednesday. “I thought the effort by our guys was very good and the togetherness, I felt like we were very together defensively,” Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. “Sometimes you take three or four days without a game and it can be not good, but it’s good to see our guys come out off the start with a good aggressiveness on both ends and find a way to beat a good team.”

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (17-9): Curry’s scoring blitz overshadowed another strong game on Wednesday from All-Star forward Kevin Durant, who collected 25 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in 34 minutes. Durant is 19-of-29 from the floor in the last two games while totaling 17 assists and 15 boards. Fellow power forward Jonas Jerebko is on a hot streak as well and is 18-of-25 from the floor over the last four games.

ABOUT THE BUCKS (16-7): Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe scored 26 points on 10-of-12 shooting in the Nov. 8 victory at Golden State and was just as effective on Wednesday, when he raced around the Pistons for 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting in 26 minutes. “I feel great,” Bledsoe told reporters. “We have a great group of guys that can get it going at any time. I just try to do other things to help the team win. Those 50-50 balls always win games.” Bledsoe added four assists and four steals to his collection on Wednesday and averages 5.9 assists and 1.4 thefts.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bucks PF D.J. Wilson (hamstring) made his season debut on Wednesday and scored seven points in six minutes off the bench.

2. Warriors PF Draymond Green (toe) could return on Monday.

3. Golden State won its last two trips to Milwaukee.

PREDICTION: Warriors 123, Bucks 119

The post GOLDEN STATE vs MILWAUKEE 12/7/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS vs HOUSTON ROCKETS
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Thursday, November 15, 2018
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

TV: 8:05 PM
LINE: -3
PREDICTION: HOUSTON , GOLDEN STATE

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as -3 point favorites versus the GOLDEN STATE, while the game’s total is sitting at 218.5.

The Golden State Warriors are fighting through some in-house drama while trying to downplay a dustup between Kevin Durant and Draymond Green that ended with Green getting suspended by the team for a game. Green and Durant will try to work together again when the Warriors visit the Houston Rockets on Thursday in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference finals.

A public shouting match on the court during Monday’s overtime loss at the Los Angeles Clippers spilled over into the locker room, which led to Green being suspended for Tuesday’s 110-103 home win over the Atlanta Hawks. “I’m gonna keep that in-house,” Durant told reporters of his interactions with Green after scoring 29 points to lead the team on Tuesday. “That’s what we do here. I mean, obviously I know you guys got a job to do, but I’m not trying to give nobody no headlines. What happened, happened. We’re trying to move on — just trying to play basketball.” The Rockets are not the same team that took Golden State to seven games in the Western Conference finals last spring but at least appear to be trending in the right direction with wins in back-to-back games and Carmelo Anthony reportedly on his way out of town. Houston averaged 112 points in wins over the Pacers and Nuggets after failing to reach the century mark in four straight contests.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (12-3): Golden State shooting guard Klay Thompson was of the belief that Green and Durant would quickly be able to get back on the same page as long as the team wins. “A win on Thursday,” Thompson told reporters when asked what would defuse the situation. “And a win on Saturday and Sunday. Once we go on a little win streak (the Green-Durant situation) will not matter. And this will be in the past like a ponytail.” The Warriors are operating without superstar point guard Stephen Curry, who will miss at least five more games with a groin injury before being re-evaluated on Nov. 24.

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (6-7): The experiment of adding Anthony to the mix quickly fizzled and Houston is trying to move on by tightening up on the defensive end. “It’s going to take time, but we’re getting there,” Rockets star guard James Harden told reporters after Tuesday’s 109-99 triumph over the Nuggets. “If we keep guarding and defending at a high level our offense will come around. Once we put both together, it’s going to get scary.” Harden contributed 22 points and 11 assists in the win but went 2-of-10 from 3-point range and is 11-of-41 from beyond the arc over the last three contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Warriors PF Jones Jerebko started in place of Green on Tuesday and collected 14 points and 13 rebounds.

2. Rockets G/F Gerald Green (ankle) sat out the last two games but could return on Thursday.

3. Green averaged 8.3 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists in last season’s Western Conference finals.

PREDICTION: Warriors 113, Rockets 111

The post GOLDEN STATE vs HOUSTON 11/15/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS vs LA CLIPPERS
When: 10:30 PM  ET, Monday, November 12, 2018
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California

TV: 10:35 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: LA CLIPPERS , GOLDEN STATE

Oddsmakers currently have the LA CLIPPERS listed as 3.5 point favorites versus the GOLDEN STATE, while the game’s total is sitting at 236.5.

The Golden State Warriors have enough depth to absorb an injury to one or two of their All-Stars and are hoping to tap into that depth to survive a stretch with four of five on the road. The Warriors will open that span by visiting the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.

Golden State is without point guard Stephen Curry (groin) and sat forward Draymond Green (toe) the last two games but still managed to dispatch the Brooklyn Nets 116-100 on Saturday. The Warriors, who were bouncing back from a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in the previous game, got 28 points and 11 assists from Kevin Durant in the win while Quinn Cook did his best Curry impression with 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting. The Clippers managed to beat that same Milwaukee squad 128-126 on Saturday while showing off its roster depth, which included six players – two reserves – scoring in double figures. “It’s great, it’s great to win at home and win against one of the hottest teams in the league,” Los Angeles forward Danilo Gallinari told reporters. “It’s definitely a great feeling, but now we have another tough game coming up.”

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, FS Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (11-2): Curry is likely to sit out again on Monday as Golden State plays it safe with its star, but the team has plenty of confidence in Cook. “It’s no surprise to me that he can do this,” Durant told reporters after Cook’s performance on Saturday. “I just want him to keep working, keep being a great teammate. Consistency is what you want in this league as a player. You want to continue to do stuff like this, night in and night out.” Cook was in and out of the rotation over the first 10 games but is 21-of-33 from the floor over the last three contests, including 10-of-15 from beyond the arc.

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (7-5): Los Angeles reserve guard Lou Williams struggled from the floor while going 5-of-15 on Saturday but hit the shot when it counted, burying a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds remaining in overtime to give his team the win. “Those type of guys are different, they really are, their confidence is different,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers told reporters in reference to Williams. “I played the game for 13 years and I never had confidence. If I missed three shots in a row, I was under the table somewhere. But these guys, they think every miss means they’re closer to making 10 in a row, not missing 10 in a row.” Williams scored at least 20 points in each of the previous four games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Durant went 9-of-9 from the free-throw line on Saturday and is shooting 92.6 percent from the stripe.

2. Los Angeles SG Avery Bradley (ankle) sat out last three games and remains day-to-day.

3. Golden State took 13 of the last 14 in the series.

PREDICTION: Warriors 123, Clippers 116

The post GOLDEN STATE vs LA CLIPPERS 11/12/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

BROOKLYN NETS vs GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
When: 8:30 PM  ET, Saturday, November 10, 2018
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California

TV: 8:35 PM
LINE: -7
PREDICTION: GOLDEN STATE , BROOKLYN

Oddsmakers currently have the GOLDEN STATE listed as -7 point favorites versus the BROOKLYN, while the game’s total is sitting at 225.5.

The Golden State Warriors will be without star point guard Stephen Curry when they host the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. Curry was diagnosed with a mild to moderate groin strain during an MRI exam Friday and could miss multiple contests.

Curry was injured during the third quarter of Thursday’s 134-111 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks and coach Steve Kerr was pleased with what the doctors determined. “The MRI looked good in terms of not being too serious,” Kerr told reporters. “It’s kind of something we’re going to evaluate over the next few days. He’s still sore, and it’s a strained groin, basically, is the injury. But the MRI was encouraging, so it will be kind of a day-to-day thing.” Quinn Cook will start in Curry’s place as the Warriors try to bounce back from a thorough beating after winning their previous eight contests. Brooklyn is playing well with three straight wins and posted a 112-110 road victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday when shooting guard Caris LeVert hit a floater with 0.3 seconds left.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE NETS (6-6): LeVert was been one of the surprise breakout performers in the NBA and he responded like a go-to player by driving into the lane to hit the decisive shot against Denver. “I just wanted to get the last shot and get the shot I wanted,” LeVert said in a postgame television interview. “I pretty much knew it was going in. That’s three (wins) in a row and two of those are road victories.” LeVert, who scored 17 points Friday, has tallied 20 or more on seven occasions this season.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (10-2): Curry isn’t the only injured player as power forward Draymond Green (foot) will miss his second straight game and point guard Shaun Livingston (foot) will sit out his seventh in a row. “Draymond is really making improvement, and Shaun’s going to play some three-on-three,” Kerr told reporters. “He needs some time on the court. He’s feeling a lot better, but he’s hardly done anything basketball-wise. We need to get him some live action before we put him into an NBA game.” Second-year pro Jordan Bell started in place of Green on Thursday and had four points and five rebounds in 22 minutes.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Warriors have won the past seven meetings and 17 of the last 22.

2. Brooklyn SF DeMarre Carroll (ankle) made his season debut against Denver and had nine points in 14 minutes off the bench.

3. Golden State SG Klay Thompson has topped 20 points in four of the past five games and is averaging 28.6 points during the stretch.

PREDICTION: Warriors 127, Nets 105

The post BROOKLYN vs GOLDEN STATE 11/10/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

MILWAUKEE  BUCKS vs GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
When: 10:30 PM  ET, Thursday, November 8, 2018
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California

TV: 10:35 PM
LINE: -7.5
PREDICTION: GOLDEN STATE , MILWAUKEE

Oddsmakers currently have the GOLDEN STATE listed as -7.5 point favorites versus the MILWAUKEE, while the game’s total is sitting at 234.5.

The Golden State Warriors remain the team to beat in the NBA, but the Milwaukee Bucks are building something special and are intent on proving they belong among the game’s elite. The Bucks will try to prove as much when they visit the Warriors in the second of a four-game west coast road trip on Thursday.

Milwaukee won its first seven games before dropping two of the last three, including a 118-103 loss at Portland on Tuesday to begin the trip. “I didn’t think we came out with the greatest attention to the 3-ball, attention to them coming off screening situations,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters after the loss. “So, that put us in a little bit of a hole.” Lack of attention to detail on the 3-ball and in screening situations can doom an opponent of the Warriors, who lead the NBA in team 3-point percentage at .423 while boasting three of the best shooters in the game in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, all of whom can operate off the screen. Golden State is enjoying an eight-game winning streak and knocked down 13-of-24 from beyond the arc while cruising to a 117-101 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE BUCKS (8-2): Milwaukee star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is the driving force behind the team’s hot start and is averaging 25.8 points on 54.4 percent shooting, 13.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists while drawing praise from his fellow superstars. “He’s just very unique and I think he owns his game,” Curry told reporters of Antetokounmpo. “He understands how he can be impactful every night. He obviously plays extremely hard every night. Some of the stuff he does, your jaw drops. The way he can cover ground in a few strides, the way he can finish in the paint and all those types of things, it’s pretty special.” Antetokounmpo is also second in the NBA in turnovers at an average of five per game.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (10-1): Curry leads the NBA in scoring at an average of 31.3 points while shooting 52.5 percent from the floor, 50.8 percent from beyond the arc and 92.3 percent from the free-throw line. Durant is right behind while averaging 27.7 points on 56.5 percent shooting, but the two will have to operate on Thursday without fellow All-Star Draymond Green, who is out with a sprained big toe suffered in Monday’s win. “It’s just day to day,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters after Wednesday’s practice. “No concern long term. So, we’ll just monitor it each day, and we’re so early in the season, obviously we’ll be cautious. We’ll see how it plays out.”

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Warriors also expect to be without PG Shaun Livingston (foot), who will miss his sixth straight game.

2. Bucks C Brook Lopez scored a season-high 22 points while going 6-of-10 from 3-point range on Tuesday.

3. Milwaukee earned a 116-107 win at Golden State last season as Antetokounmpo scored 32 points in a game Curry missed.

PREDICTION: Warriors 126, Bucks 112

The post MILWAUKEE vs GOLDEN STATE 11/8/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES vs GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
When: 10:30 PM  ET, Monday, November 5, 2018
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California

TV: 10:35 PM
LINE: -14
PREDICTION: GOLDEN STATE , MEMPHIS

Oddsmakers currently have the GOLDEN STATE listed as -14 point favorites versus the MEMPHIS, while the game’s total is sitting at 218.

Klay Thompson has found his long-range shot, making the Golden State Warriors even more difficult to crack as they prepare to host the improving Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. Thompson was just 5-for-36 from behind the 3-point arc in the first seven games but has drained 19-of-37 over the last three, including an NBA-record 14 against Chicago on Oct. 29 to help the Warriors extend their win streak to seven.

Stephen Curry has flown out of the gate by averaging 32.5 points, Kevin Durant is contributing 28.3 and Draymond Green has 44 assists combined the last four games, but Thompson adds another key element. “When Klay’s going, and we’ve got KD and Steph going, we’re pretty hard to beat,” Golden State forward Kevon Looney told the San Francisco Chronicle. “We space the floor so much, and you’ve got to pick your poison.” Memphis had the second-fewest wins in the league (22) last season and is off to a promising start, but coughed up a fourth-quarter lead in a 102-100 loss at Phoenix on Sunday in the middle of a three-game road trip. The Grizzlies’ top two scorers – guard Mike Conley and center Marc Gasol – must recover after combining to miss 24-of-29 from the field in the loss to the Suns while the Memphis bench outscored its starters 59-41.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Memphis), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (5-3): Guard Shelvin Mack gave Memphis a chance to win with a season-high 21 points off the bench Sunday, and is averaging 18 over his last three contests while making 8-of-12 from 3-point range. Conley and Gasol had averaged 40 points between them in the previous three games – all victories – before struggling at Phoenix while third-leading scorer Garrett Temple had contributed 15.5 in that stretch before an eight-point effort Sunday. Rookie forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who was picked fourth overall in the 2018 draft, has scored in single digits three of the last four games after averaging 14.8 points the first four contests.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (9-1): Green finished Friday’s 116-99 win over Minnesota with nine points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and a steal while drawing plenty of praise from coach Steve Kerr. “Our fourth-quarter defense was tremendous,” Kerr told reporters after outscoring the Timberwolves 33-12 in the final 12 minutes. “Everybody flying to the ball. I thought (Green) set the tone. I’m not sure I’ve seen Draymond play better since I’ve been here.” Golden State continues to get strong contributions off the bench from forward Alfonzo McKinnie, who is averaging 9.6 points and shooting 61.3 percent from the field the last five games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Memphis F Omri Casspi, who will receive a championship ring from Golden State on Monday, left Sunday’s game with knee soreness.

2. Golden State G Shaun Livingston (foot) has missed the last four games and is listed as day-to-day, but could return soon.

3. The Warriors have won four of the last five meetings and scored 141 points in the last matchup Dec. 30, 2017.

PREDICTION: Warriors 123, Grizzlies 101

The post MEMPHIS vs GOLDEN STATE 11/5/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS vs GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
When: 10:30 PM  ET, Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California

TV: 10:35 PM
LINE: -12.5
PREDICTION: GOLDEN STATE , NEW ORLEANS

Oddsmakers currently have the GOLDEN STATE listed as -12.5 point favorites versus the NEW ORLEANS, while the game’s total is sitting at 234.5.

Klay Thompson began the season in a massive shooting slump, but it only took one game to break out in a big way. Thompson will try to follow up a record-breaking performance as the Golden State Warriors return home to host the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.

Thompson, who went 5-of-36 from beyond the arc in the first six games, buried an NBA-record 14 3-pointers and scored 52 points in a 149-124 win at the Chicago Bulls on Monday. “It’s the best feeling,” Thompson told reporters of finding his shooting stroke. “Something I haven’t felt in the first six, seven games. To snap out of a slump with the record, I couldn’t ask for a better way to do it. And I’m just going to continue this momentum on Wednesday, and it’s one of the best feelings in basketball when you touch the ball and feel like it’s going in every time.” The Pelicans might have to stop Golden State without their best defender if star forward Anthony Davis (elbow) is forced to miss a third straight game. New Orleans got off to a 4-0 start with Davis leading the way but dropped the last two contests without him in the lineup.

TV: 10:30 p.m. FS New Orleans, NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE PELICANS (4-2): New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry refused to blame the absence of his superstar for a 116-111 loss at Denver on Monday in which his team turned the ball over 22 times. “I don’t think it’s ever understandable to turn the ball over 22 times,” Gentry told reporters. “I think what happened is that some of our turnovers came because we were trying to play in really tight, confined spaces. Against that team, you can’t do that.” Five of those turnovers belonged to reserve power forward Julius Randle, who otherwise played a solid game with 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 27 minutes.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (7-1): Golden State leads the NBA in team field-goal percentage (52.3) and assists (29.6), and coach Steve Kerr remains in awe of the unselfish nature of his team.” I can’t even tell you how lucky I am and how I feel every night just watching these guys and how unselfish they are,” Kerr told reporters. “They basically take turns, they encourage each other, they want each other to do well, and we have all this talent, but the key is these guys are committed to each other, they play hard for each other, and they want each other to have success, and that’s why it works, and it’s been amazing to be along for the ride.” Thompson broke the record of 13 set on Nov. 7, 2016 by teammate Stephen Curry, who went 13-of-17 in a 116-106 home win over New Orleans.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pelicans PG Elfrid Payton (ankle) sat out Monday and is day-to-day.

2. Warriors PG Shaun Livingston (foot) missed the last two games and is questionable to play Wednesday.

3. The teams are meeting for the first time since Golden State knocked New Orleans out 4-1 in last season’s Western Conference semifinals.

PREDICTION: Warriors 133, Pelican 121

The post NEW ORLEANS vs GOLDEN STATE 10/31/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS vs DENVER NUGGETS
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Sunday, October 21, 2018
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado

TV: 8:05 PM
LINE: 4.5
PREDICTION: DENVER , GOLDEN STATE

Oddsmakers currently have the DENVER listed as 4.5 point favorites versus the GOLDEN STATE, while the game’s total is sitting at 228.5.

The Golden State Warriors will try to build on a dramatic come-from-behind win and stay unbeaten on the young season when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. After falling behind by 16 points midway through the third quarter on Friday at Utah, the Warriors crawled back and won 124-123 on a putback by Jonas Jerebko with three-tenths of a second remaining.

Kevin Durant scored a game-high 38 points as Golden State opened 2-0 for the first time since 2015-16. “To win that game in that way, that was really special,” Jerebko, who played with the Jazz last season before being let go in the summer, told reporters after the victory. The Nuggets are 2-0 for the first time in seven years after rolling past Phoenix 119-91 on Saturday. Nikola Jokic recorded his first triple-double of the season (35 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists) while making all 11 of his shot attempts as Denver shot 50.6 percent from the floor.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Golden State), Altitude (Denver)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (2-0): Jerebko scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting and grabbed six rebounds in the win over the Jazz after being held scoreless in six minutes of Golden State’s season-opening victory against Oklahoma City. Durant is averaging 32.5 points and Stephen Curry 31.5 through the first two games. Draymond Green bounced back from an uneven opener to produce 14 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal against the Jazz, although he has committed a team-high 11 turnovers on the season.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (2-0): Saturday’s runaway win did not come without an issue, as starting shooting guard Will Barton left with a hip injury and did not return. Fellow guards Jamal Murray and Gary Harris combined for 44 points, nine assists and four steals while Paul Millsap recorded his second straight double-double with 14 points and 10 boards. Jokic averaged 19.7 points on 52.1 percent shooting over the final three meetings with Golden State last season.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Warriors SG Klay Thompson is 9-for-29 from the field – including 1-for-10 from 3-point range – through the first two games.

2. Jokic has recorded 16 assists, five steals and just two turnovers through the first two contests.

3. The teams split four meetings last season, but Denver is 64-22 at home against Golden State.

PREDICTION: Warriors 118, Nuggets 113

The post GOLDEN STATE vs DENVER 10/21/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS vs UTAH JAZZ
When: 10:30 PM  ET, Friday, October 19, 2018
Where: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah

TV: 10:35 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: UTAH , GOLDEN STATE

Oddsmakers currently have the UTAH listed as 2.5 point favorites versus the GOLDEN STATE, while the game’s total is sitting at 218.5.

The Golden State Warriors began the defense of their latest NBA title by pushing aside the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday and will try to do the same to another playoff contender when they visit the Utah Jazz on Friday. The Jazz figure to be one of several teams vying to knock the Warriors off their perch and are also coming off an opening victory.

Golden State put on an uneven performance in the opener but there is no doubt that the team will be in the mix for a fourth NBA Championship in five seasons. “We played a solid game, nothing spectacular,” star point guard Stephen Curry told reporters. “We had a lot of mistakes. … We understand the process of building up. We have a lot of things to work on, details both offensively and defensively, but a win is a win. Got to keep it moving.” Utah struggled to hold off the Sacramento Kings in a 123-117 triumph on Wednesday and expects a higher level of performance from itself. “It’s not just about knowing how to win in crunch time,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder told reporters. “It’s about knowing how to have the consistency throughout the game to put yourself in good position. It’s a good win, because it’s a road win against a team that played very well. And I think our guys want and expect more of themselves.”

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBCS Bay Area (Golden State), AT&T Sportsnet Rocky Mountain (Utah)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (1-0): Curry led the way with 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds while going 5-of-9 from 3-point range in the opener to help overcome a poor shooting night from fellow “splash brother” Klay Thompson. Thompson struggled to 5-of-20 from the floor, including 1-of-8 from beyond the arc in 35 minutes. Kevin Durant, who, like Thompson, could become a free agent after the season, missed all five of his 3-point attempts in the opener but finished with 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (1-0): Utah prides itself on its work on the defensive end but allowed the Kings to shoot 51.6 percent from the floor on Wednesday while forcing only nine turnovers. The Jazz were able to overcome the deficiencies on the defensive end thanks to the offensive performances of Donovan Mitchell and Joe Ingles, who combined to go 7-of-16 from 3-point range. Utah also got a big performance from center Rudy Gobert, who collected 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 15 rebounds while blocking three shots.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Warriors SF Andre Iguodala (calf) left Tuesday’s game and is questionable for Friday.

2. Jazz SF Thabo Sefolosha will serve the second of a five-game suspension for violating the NBA/NBAPA anti-drug program.

3. Utah took three of the four meetings last season, including both at home.

PREDICTION: Jazz 109, Warriors 105

The post GOLDEN STATE vs UTAH 10/19/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.