John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport
Golden State Warriors vs Portland Trail Blazers: Are the Warriors still a threat?
The Portland Trail Blazers are hosting the Golden State Warriors at Moda Center on Thursday.
The Warriors will have a tough road to the playoffs
The Golden State Warriors are tenth in the Western Conference with a 44-35 record. They have won eight of their last nine games and are coming off a 134-120 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Warriors are seventh in the league, scoring 118 points per game, and are ranked fifth, shooting 38.1% from three-point territory. Steph Curry leads the team with 26.4 points per game, followed by Klay Thompson with 17.7.
The Blazers are just above the bottom of the West
The Portland Trail Blazers are 14th in the Western Conference with a 21-58 record. They have lost eight of the last 10 games and are coming off a 110-100 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Blazers are in the bottom three teams in the entire league, averaging 106.8 points per game on 44.2% shooting from the field. Anfernee Simons leads the team with 22.6 points per game, followed by Jerami Grant with 21.
Betting Trends
The Warriors have won the last five games against the Blazers. Golden State is 6-3 ATS in their last 9 games overall, and 7-1 ATS in the last 8 games played on Thursday. The Blazers are 4-0-1 ATS in the last 5 games overall, and 1-6 ATS in the last 7 games played on Thursday.
Prediction and Conclusion
No one really expected the Warriors to have an amazing regular season. It seems like they played just well enough to hold a chance to make it to the playoffs, and that is the exact position they are in at the moment. By winning eight of the last nine games, the Warriors are locked for a spot in the play-in tournament but will try to make one or maybe even two steps higher. Being tenth in the conference will give them one chance to stay in the tournament with a road win, but if they move above the Lakers, they will have the home court advantage in the first game. The Kings are one game in front, and if the Warriors reach them, they will have two chances to make it to the playoffs. That is a good reason for them to keep the foot on the gas and destroy the Blazers with a win covering the -14-point spread.
