The Portland Trailblazers will be trying to improve their standing in the Western Conference when they face the Golden State Warriors on Friday. The Blazers will also try to become the first team to defeat the Warriors at the oracle Arena this season. The game is set to begin at 10:30 PM. ET.
The Portland Trailblazers are currently in 6th place in the Western Conference standings, but they only have a 1.5 game lead over the Houston Rockets, who are in 8th place. The Blazers know they can’t afford to lose too much ground to the Rockets if they don’t want to play the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.
A few weeks ago, Portland was on the outside looking in, but the return of Damian Lillard from injury was just the spark the team needed. Lillard led the team on a stretch in which they won 12 of 14 games, which included a 32 point victory over the Warriors at the Rose Garden.
Since their impressive stretch, the Blazers have lost three of their last four games. The Blazers need to play better than they have in the last week if they want to defeat Golden State at home on Friday night.
The Golden State Warriors have been playing well all year, and still have a chance to tie or break the 72 win mark set by the 1995/1996 Chicago Bulls. The Warriors have won 18 of their last 21 games, but they have been involved in a few close games lately.
The Warriors currently have a 3.5 game lead over the San Antonio Spurs in the West, and the team knows that they can’t afford to lose another game they are expected to win if they don’t want to play on the road during the playoffs.
Offensively, the Blazers are one of the best teams in the NBA and average 103.8 points per game, which is the 8th best mark in the league. Their defense on the other hand is an entirely different story.
Opponents score an average of 102.9 points per game against the Blazers, which is the 17th most allowed in the league.
Golden State is the best offensive team in the NBA, averaging 115.1 points per game. Their defense isn’t as good as it was last season, and opponents are scoring an average of 104.3 points per game against the Warriors.
League MVP Steph Curry leads the way for Golden State. Curry is averaging 30.4 points per game, he is shooting 51 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3-point range, which is why he is the favorite to win the MVP award for the second consecutive year. If Portland can find a way to slow him down, they will have a good chance of winning the game.
Game Lines and Odds
BetOnline.ag has the Warriors favored to win the game by 12.5 points. The over/under on total points scored is 227. Here’s a review of BetOnline.
My Pick
After their embarrassing 32 point loss in Portland, the Warriors will be itching to get a little payback, so take them on the 13 point spread. If you are not comfortable with the point spread, take the over on total points scored because neither team plays very well on the defensive end.
Play: Warriors -13 @ BetOnline.ag