Tag: Warriors

Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors sports betting odds, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Oklahoma City Thunder (5-10) face the Golden State Warriors (3-14) Monday night with tip-off coming just after 10:30 pm ET at Chase Center. We analyze the Thunder-Warriors odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

Thunder at Warriors: Key injuries

Thunder

  • SG Hamidou Diallo (elbow) out
  • SG Andre Roberson (knee) out

Warriors

  • PF Draymond Green (heel) questionable
  • PF Kevon Looney (hamstring) out

Thunder at Warriors: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 2:15 pm. ET.

Prediction

Thunder 113, Warriors 108

Moneyline (ML)

The two teams have combined for a woeful 8-24 record this year. Golden State’s injuries have taken a hard toll. The Thunder have been close to their opponents in terms of scoring while the Warriors have an average scoring differential of minus-10.4 points per game (worst in the NBA).

Our pick is with the THUNDER (-238).

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Oklahoma City returns a profit of $4.18 with an outright win.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Neither team has covered spreads well this year, but Oklahoma City is 4-2 against the spread at on the road. Golden State is 2-5 ATS at home while falling four points below the cover line.

Oklahoma City tends to allow teams to hang around. Golden State could linger in this one and a small lean towards a WARRIORS (+5.5, +100) cover is our pick here.

Over/Under (O/U)

The projected total is set at 213.5. The two teams average fewer than 110 points per game but this could be an exception given Golden State plays to a higher pace (several possessions higher per quarter) at home. Oklahoma City will have to play along.

It is why we side with the OVER (-105) Monday night in Golden State.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Omari Spellman wants to be better than Marreese Speights

Omari Spellman has a similar play style to Marreese Speights, but he wants to be better than the former Warrior.

A second-year player out of Villanova, Golden State Warriors big man Omari Spellman knows about the comparisons to former Warrior Marreese Speights.

With Spellman in his first year with Golden State, he respects Speights, but he’s focused on making his own way in the NBA. Spellman talked about how he’s working to fulfill his own path to success with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Logan Murdock. 

“Mo is a great player. No disrespect to Mo Speights at all,” he continued. “But if I can, I want to be better than Mo Speights. And I’m pretty sure he would tell me the same thing. I’m pretty sure he would tell me the same thing like ‘bro, you don’t want to be me. Your goal should be to be better than me.’ So I don’t want to be Mo Speights.”

Spellman, 22, has been compared to Speights because they are of similar build, but they also have similar play styles.

Speights could knock down open jumpers, and Spellman can, too. Speights was also a solid rebounder, as he averaged 4.1 rebounds for his career. He was a key player for the Warriors during their 2015 championship season. During the regular season, he scored a career-high 10.4 points per game on 49.2% shooting from the field. Speights also grabbed 4.3 rebounds a game.

During the NBA Finals that season, Speights played three games and totaled nine points. His performance in Game 1 was his best, as he scored eight points and shot 50% from the field.

This season, Spellman has been one of the Warriors’ best young players. He’s averaging career-highs in points per game (7.4) and rebounds (5.5). He’s also done well grabbing offensive rebounds. Spellman ranks third in offensive rebound percentage (14.9%), according to Basketball Reference. 

With Spellman being a quality player off the bench, he has a chance to continue being key for the Warriors during this transitional season.

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Willie Cauley-Stein wants people to see more than his tattoos

Warriors center Willie Cauley-Stein has tattoos, but he wants the perception of people who look like him to change.

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Golden State Warriors center Willie Cauley-Stein wants people to see past the stereotypes some hold of young black males who are tatted up like himself.

Cauley-Stein recently spoke with ESPN’s Marc J. Spears about how he is perceived by others because of his numerous tattoos. Cauley-Stein told Spears that he is shy and usually doesn’t initiate conversation.

But he also mentioned other people may be hesitant to talk with him because of his appearance. The full interview with Spears can be read here.

“They don’t know how to come up to you either,” Cauley-Stein said. “They say, ‘Man, you got tattoos on your face.’ The first thing that they see. They’re not even looking in your eyes. They’re looking at the tattoos on your face. I made that perception on me because I felt like that’s part of my movement. I want to look like the ’hood but … I want to get past the perception of what people put on people. The stigma that they put on, on people that look like me.”

A fifth-year player out of Kentucky, Cauley-Stein said he was aware during college of how his tattoos would affect the way others perceived him. He referenced his mother to Spears, as he said she has more tattoos than he does.

“She’s more tattooed than me, so she gets the stigma on it,” Cauley-Stein said. “And, to me, I want that. I want people to look at me, think I’m some thug and then talk to me and realize this dude is intelligent. Just completely different than what we thought.”

The perception people have of Cauley-Stein and others with similar appearances is usually negative, or at the very least filled with misunderstanding.

With Cauley-Stein speaking his truth, though, he’s empowering himself and others like him to be their genuine selves.

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Eric Paschall is one of the most complete rookies in the NBA

Warriors forward Eric Paschall is one of the best rookies in the NBA so far this season.

In an era where versatility is craved, Eric Paschall has one of the brightest futures among NBA rookies.

A do-it-all forward out of Villanova, Paschall has proven to be one of the most skilled first-year players in the league.

He scored a team-high 30 points on Sunday night during the Golden State Warriors’ 108-100 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. With the performance, Paschall is the only rookie to have multiple 30-point games this season. 

One of Paschall’s best attributes is his ability to score in multiple ways. He can bully opposing players in the paint. He can move without the ball and score. He can take opponents to the rim. He’s capable of making open jumpers.

Though he’s shooting 27.3% from the 3-point line this season, his shooting from the midrange has been where he’s thrived. According to Basketball Reference, Paschall is shooting 66.7% on field goals 10-16 feet from the hoop.

Paschall is third on the Warriors in points per game (16.7), and he’s also third in the league for points per game among rookies behind Ja Morant and Kendrick Nunn, according to NBA.com.

Along with his scoring, though, Paschall grabs rebounds well and can set up his teammates. Paschall ranks fifth among rookies in rebounds per game (4.8). Paschall is also averaging 1.3 assists per game.

Earlier this month, coach Steve Kerr compared Paschall’s defense to Houston Rockets forward P.J. Tucker’s, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.

Tucker is one of the best defenders in the league, being able to defend guards and wings on the perimeter. He can also defend bigger players around the rim.

With Paschall defending in multiple places, he contests 3.0 2-point shots a game, according to NBA.com. But his work defending on the perimeter is a bit more prevalent, as he contests 3.3 3-pointers a game. That number ranks fifth among rookies this season.

Through 13 games, Paschall has showed a quality all-around game. An early Rookie of the Year candidate, Paschall has an opportunity to be a key player in the Warriors’ future.

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Omari Spellman has been an offensive rebound machine this season

Omari Spellman has been the Warriors’ best offensive rebounder this season.

The Golden State Warriors aren’t a top-tier defensive rebounding team, but with the help of Omari Spellman, they are good at grabbing offensive rebounds.

The Warriors are tied for 12th in the NBA for offensive rebounds per game, and Spellman has been one of the team’s best offensive rebounders, averaging 2.7 per game in 15.5 minutes.

During the Warriors’ 108-100 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, Spellman had one offensive rebound. Marquese Chriss and Eric Paschall both had a team-high three offensive rebounds.

According to Basketball Reference, Spellman led the league in offensive rebound percentage (19.1) before Sunday’s game. He also had ranked eighth in total offensive rebounds, according to Basketball Reference.

Coach Steve Kerr praised for Spellman and his rebounding ahead of the Warriors’ game against the Pelicans.

“Omari’s been relentless on the boards all year,” Kerr said, per Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle.  “He’s a guy we really like. He’s very skilled. He’s still learning the NBA game. He’s very young. But when he goes out there, he gives us a rush of energy right away.”

With Spellman bringing some value off the bench, he could potentially be a key role player for the Warriors as they move forward.

The Warriors will play the Memphis Grizzlies on the road Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST.

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D’Angelo Russell is out for at least 2 weeks and the Warriors are probably cursed

Russell is the latest Warrior to go down with a major injury.

The Warriors officially announced D’Angelo Russell is out for at least two weeks after he suffered a right thumb sprain in last night’s game against the Celtics.

Russell is going to be reevaluated by the team in two weeks and might return after that point, but there’s no official timetable just yet. It’s another massive blow to a team that is now set up for an early lottery pick next season after making five straight runs to the NBA Finals.

Injuries happen. They’re a part of sports. Athletes are bigger, stronger and faster than ever and they push the body to limits that they probably shouldn’t reach on a nightly basis. No load management or preventative measure is going to stop that from happening.

With that being said, sorry to say, but the Warriors are probably cursed.

Just do the math. In the span of six months, they’ve lost an entire starting five of All-Star caliber players for, at a minimum, five games to major injuries.

  • Stephen Curry (broken wrist)
  • Klay Thompson (torn ACL)
  • Kevin Durant (torn achilles)
  • Draymond Green (torn finger ligament)
  • D’Angelo Russell (sprained thumb, knee injury)

They’ll never get Durant back and Thompson is out for the season. Curry might be up in the air. We haven’t even gotten into Kevon Looney, who has still yet to return from a hamstring injury. Same with Jacob Evans who has an adductor strain.

Last night, after Russell left yesterday’s game, Green shrugged off the team’s injury woes over the last few months.

Fair point, sure. Counterpoint: The Basketball Gods.

Maybe this is karma for adding an MVP to a 73-9 team. Maybe this is payback for leaving Oakland for the tech bros in the Chase Center. Maybe this season is a sacrifice that needed to be made for a five year run of unprecedented success. We have no idea. All we know is that it’s eerie.

But, uh, while we’re here…can someone let the Wizards know who to talk to to get this sacrifice on and popping? All I need is two years — just two. Give me a trip to the Finals and I’ll be content. That’s not much.

Seriously, though, get healthy Warriors. The NBA isn’t the same without you.

3 things to watch in the Warriors’ game against the Pelicans

The Golden State Warriors are 2-11 through their first 13 games of the 2019-20 NBA season.

The Golden State Warriors are in the midst of a temporary rebuild this season and have two wins through 13 games.

Despite injuries to Steph Curry, D’Angelo Russell and Draymond Green affecting their rocky start, the Warriors have made strides.

The Warriors lost 105-100 against the Boston Celtics on Friday night, allowing their second-fewest number of points. The fewest points they’ve allowed was 93 in a loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 2.

As the Warriors continue to grow, they’ll play the New Orleans Pelicans on the road Sunday. The Pelicans are one of two teams Golden State has defeated this season, with the other being the Portland Trail Blazers.

Will the Warriors continue good defense in New Orleans?

After the Warriors’ loss to the Celtics, coach Steve Kerr praised his team’s quality defensive performance.

The Warriors allowed their lowest field goal percentage of the season, as the Celtics shot 40.7% from the field.

“We played our best defensive game of the year…It was the first night, all year, I thought we looked like we knew what were doing defensively,” Kerr said, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. 

This season, the Warriors rank 29th in opponent field goal percentage and last in opponent 3-point field goal percentage.

When they defeated the Pelicans on Oct. 28, the Pelicans shot 46.6% from the field and 31.9% from the 3-point line.

Rebounding Growth

The Warriors grabbed 55 rebounds against the Celtics, tying their second-highest number of rebounds for the season.

This season Golden State ranks 20th in rebounds per game (44.4), a decrease from last season when they ranked 11th. Willie Cauley-Stein is Golden State’s top rebounder this season, averaging 6.3 rebounds a game.

The Pelicans rank 12th in rebounds per game, with Derrick Favors and Brandon Ingram being the team’s top two rebounders. Along with Favors and Ingram, Jrue Holiday, Kenrich Williams and Josh Hart each average at least five rebounds a game.

Alec Burks’ quality play off the bench

In nine games coming off the bench, Alec Burks has been the Warriors’ best reserve.

Burks has averaged 13.2 points a game off the bench this season, ranking 18th among bench players in the league, according to NBA.com. 

On Friday night against the Celtics, Burks had a team-high 20 points on 4-of-11 shooting. He also had three rebounds and an assist. With Burks starting the season well, it’ll be important for him to consistently bring a spark off the bench.

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Celtics-Warriors odds: Boston eyes 10-game win streak

Previewing Friday’s Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors sports betting odds, with NBA matchup analysis and picks

The first-place Boston Celtics (9-1) visit the last-place Golden State Warriors (2-10), Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Chase Center. We analyze the Celtics-Warriors odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

The Celtics have won nine in a row since losing the season opener. PG Kemba Walker led the team in scoring in the last two wins, most recently dropping 25 points in a 140-133 home win over the Washington Wizards Wednesday.

The Warriors are on a five-game skid after suffering a 120-94 loss at the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday in which they scored only 12 points in the fourth quarter.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

Celtics at Warriors: Key injuries

Celtics: SF Gordon Hayward (broken hand) is out, while PF Daniel Theis (finger) and C Robert Williams III (ankle) are game-time decisions.

Warriors: PG Stephen Curry (hand fracture), SG Damion Lee (hand fracture), SG Jacob Evans (groin), PF Kevon Looney (neuropathy), PF Alen Smailagic (ankle) and SG Klay Thompson (knee) are out.

Celtics at Warriors: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 8 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Celtics 119, Warriors 111

Moneyline (ML)

Boston (-358) will likely win, but the price is high – one has to wager $3.58 to profit $1 with a Celtics win.

The Celtics are 4-1 on the road; the Warriors are 1-5 at home.

With a scorer like PG D’Angelo Russell, the Warriors (+275) could pull an upset. Unlikely, but not impossible. Russell has averaged 34 points over the last four games, including a 52-point performance in an overtime loss at the Minnesota Timberwolves Nov. 8.

A big night from Russell, an off-night for the visiting Celtics and the Warriors could win bettors 2.75 to 1, but I’m going PASS.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Boston is favored at -7.5 (-106). Golden State is +7.5 (-115).

New to sports betting? Bet $10.60 to profit $10 that the Celtics win by eight or more points. Or bet $11.50 to profit $10 that the Warriors keep it within seven points in a loss or win outright.

Boston is 6-2-2 ATS, while Golden State is 4-8.

The line of 7.5 is just about right, so another PASS.

Over/under (O/U)

A slight lean to the OVER 226.5 (-106) – every $1.06 wagered profits $1 if the teams combine for 227 or more points. Boston is 5-5 O/U on the season and has played to three Overs in a row. Golden State is 8-4 O/U on the season, including going Over in five of its past six games.

The STRONGEST PLAY, however, is the 1st-half OVER 109.5 (-115). The Celtics have averaged 64.7 first-half points in their last three games, while the Warriors have allowed 65.3 first-half points in their last three games.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Johnny’s NBA plays: 5-1. NBA’s strongest plays: 3-0.

Follow @JohnnyParlay11 and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Steph Curry takes subtle, funny jab at Michael Jordan

Stephen Curry took a hilarious jab at Michael Jordan when discussing his haters.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry recently did a segment with Sole Collector’s “Full Size Run” show during which he took a hilarious jab at Michael Jordan.

Host Matthew Welty asked Curry if he ever sends pairs of his sneakers to his haters. After responding that he hasn’t done anything like that yet, Curry says he may have to consider setting up a service to do so. But the segment was made by the line that Curry dropped next. As you surely remember, MJ recently went on record stating that Curry wasn’t a Hall of Famer, sparking a wild debate on social media about what the true intent of his comment was.

Clearly, Curry hasn’t forgotten either.

It was a perfect line from Curry, and one that was delivered with excellent timing. We can only hope that we get news in the near future that Jordan has received a signed pair of “Curry 7’s” in the mail. You can watch the full interview here. [lawrence-related id=18271,18222,18029,17584]