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The Golden State Warriors aren’t at full strength right now, and the absence of star point guard Stephen Curry could affect them against some of the elite competition coming up on the schedule. However, the team still has plenty of firepower and there should be no issues in this week’s regular season game against the Dallas Mavericks.
Dallas is just 7-20 on the season, which is the worst mark in the Western Conference and one of the worst in the NBA. The Warriors, meanwhile, are 21-6 and are just a game behind the Rockets for the best record in the league. This is a huge mismatch and the question won’t be whether the Warriors will win this game, but by how many points.
At 10:30 p.m. ET, tune into TNT for live television coverage of this NBA basketball game on Thursday, December 14, 2017, at Oracle Arena.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Thursday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Warriors have been favored in every one of their games this season, covering in 13 of the 27 matchups. That will be the case once again in this one, so check back to see what kind of spread is implemented. Golden State has gone 5-6 against the spread at home.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, have been the underdog in 22 of their 27 games, so this is familiar territory. Dallas has covered in 10 of those games and is 6-6 against the spread on the road.
Injury Report
Curry — The two-time league MVP remains sidelines with a sprained ankle. He is set to have the injury, which he suffered on December 4th, re-evaluated next week which could provide a better timeline for his return.
Curry is averaging 26.3 points and 6.6 assists per game for the Warriors this season. The team has gone 3-0 without one of its most prominent players, however, since there is so much other talent on the roster.
Kevin Durant has been stepping up with Curry out. Durant had 35 points against the Hornets and 36 points against the Pistons last week.
Key Stat
117.2. That’s the number of points per game the Warriors are averaging on the season, which is the highest mark in the NBA. Even without Curry, there are plenty of players able to dominate this game. Atop that list is Durant, who should have a big night with more available shots. Klay Thompson will also likely see a scoring uptick as he moves up from third to second fiddle.
The Mavericks are only allowing 103.2 points per game, which is pretty respectable, but they are going to be hard-pressed to keep Golden State’s elite offense corralled. Dallas will aim to slow the pace any time it can to limit the possessions.
Dallas needs a big game from Harrison Barnes. He is a former Warrior who signed with the Mavericks as a free agent and leads the team with 18.5 points per game and 7.4 rebounds.
Free NBA ATS Picks
Dallas was for a long time a perennial contender, but has fallen off dramatically in recent years. Dirk Nowitzki is still playing but is no longer a star, and the Mavericks have not been able to add enough talent to make up for his slowing down.
Barnes is a decent player and Dennis Smith is showing potential, but they will be no match for the high-flying Warriors. Keep an eye on the spread in this one, as it should come in at double-digits.
Golden State is going to cruise, but will need to win by a healthy margin to cover. The teams will also need to combine for a lot of points if “over” is to be the choice on the scoring total.
NBA Odds: Warriors 113, Mavericks 94
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