NBA Series Preview: The Warriors are rested and ready for a third consecutive trip to the NBA Finals.
#8 Portland Trail Blazers (41-41) vs. #1 Golden State Warriors (67-15).
Series Odds: Warriors -7000, Blazers +3000.
Series schedule (courtesy of cbs.com):
Game 1 — Sunday, April 16 Portland at Golden State, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Game 2 — Wednesday, April 19 Portland at Golden State, 10:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 — Saturday, April 22 Golden State at Portland, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 — Monday, April 24 Golden State at Portland, 10:30 p.m., TNT
Game 5 — Wednesday, April 26 Portland at Golden State, TBD
Game 6 — Friday, April 28 Golden State at Portland, TBD
Game 7 — Sunday, April 30 Portland at Golden State, TBD
Regular season series: Warriors 4-0.
ATS records: Portland 40-42, Golden State 41-39-2.
Over/under records: Portland 44-37-1, Golden State 32-50.
Prediction: Warriors in 5 games.
This series will probably be a sweep if Jusuf Nurkić is unable to play in this series. Nurkić, the “Bosnian Beast” is listed as questionable for Game 1 while his status is undetermined for the series. The Portland injury report is a long one due to several late-season injuries. CJ McCollum is listed as questionable with a strained right hand, while Damian Lillard and Allen Crabbe are listed as probable.
The Warriors swept Portland during the regular season. However, all four games were played before Nurkić arrived from Denver in a trade for Mason Plumlee on February 12. Nurkić is a difference maker. The Trail Blazers went 14-5 in the 19 games he started before he injured his leg.
Lillard averaged 23.3 points per game and 3.7 assists per game, while McCollum 22.3 points per game, 3 assists per game and 5.8 rebounds per game against Golden State this season.
Golden State comes into the playoffs playing their best basketball of the season. The Warriors have won 15 of their last 16 games and are 12-3-1 ATS in those games. Kevin Durant returned to play the final three games of the season and he averaged 20.3 points per game, 5.8 assists per game and 9.3 rebounds per game in those games.
The Warriors averaged 125 points per game in their four games against Portland. Stephen Curry averaged 27.5 points per game, 4.3 assists per game and 4.5 rebounds per game, while Durant averaged 26 points per game, 3 assists per game and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Golden State is ready for their upcoming playoff run due to resting their players a little more this season. Several stories have come out in recent weeks detailing just how worn down the Warriors’ starters were at the end of the 2015-16 regular season. The chase for 73 wins took its toll. The Warriors got their record 73 regular season wins to surpass the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls mark of 72 wins.
The Warriors rank #1 in points per game and offensive rating. They also rank #11 in points allowed per game and #2 in defensive rating. Those numbers are indicative of an elite NBA team. Golden State will have their way with the Trail Blazers in this series.
If you want to get in on the betting action for the NBA, then click here to go to BetDSI, one of the few A+ Sportsbooks in the world.
