NBA ATS Picks - Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics Game Preview

Two of the hottest and best teams in the NBA are preparing for an intriguing regular season clash when the defending champion Golden State Warriors hit the road to face the Boston Celtics. Golden State has won six straight games and nine of its past 10 to zoom up to second place in the Western Conference, and it won’t be long until it overtakes the Rockets for the top seed.

The Celtics have surprisingly been just as good. They have won 12 consecutive games even after losing star forward Gordon Hayward for the season in the first game and more recently seeing star point guard Kyrie Irving get hurt. Boston has the best record in the NBA at 12-2 but of course it will be the Warriors looked at as the team to beat in this showdown.

Don't miss the hardwood action from the TD Garden at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 16, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on TNT.

We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Thursday schedule.

Odds Analysis

There is no spread on this game until it gets closer. Boston has the superior record and is at home, and against nearly any other opponent in the NBA it could be considered the favorite. However, Golden State is such a juggernaut that it is rarely the underdog, and that seems unlikely to be the case in this one.

Complicating matters is the uncertain status of Irving. If he plays, the spread will be much smaller than if he is forced to remain on the sideline due to injury. The scoring total won’t be as high as some Warriors games because Boston plays pretty good defense, but it will still be more than average.

Injury Report

Kyrie Irving — The Celtics’ star guard suffered a minor facial fracture against the Hornets last week and missed Sunday’s game against Toronto. He was fitted for a protective mask this week and is listed as questionable, but did make the trip to Brooklyn with the team for Tuesday’s game against the Nets.

Irving has is averaging 20.8 points per game for the Celtics through his first 13 games with the team. He also leads the team in steals with 1.9 a game. Irving seems on track to play against the Warriors, but wait for confirmation from the team.

It remains to be seen if the injury affects his performance, especially early on as Irving still gets used to playing with the mask.

Key Stat

12.0. That’s the Warriors’ average point-differential, which is tops in the NBA. They have been demolishing teams during their winning streak, which is always a positive sign for the future. Golden State knocked off the Clippers, Spurs, Nuggets, Heat, Timberwolves and 76ers all by 17 points or more in their past six games.

The Warriors are led in scoring by Kevin Durant, who is averaging 25.2 points while adding 7.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. Durant is shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from three-point range.

Stephen Curry is also playing at a high level, averaging 25.2 points, 6.7 assists and 1.8 steals per contest. Klay Thompson is the third scorer, averaging 21.1 points and 3.8 rebounds, while Draymond Green continues to a little bit of everything with 10.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest.

Free NBA ATS Picks

The Warriors have been a really good team this season, and it seems like Irving could be ready to play in this one. Boston’s defense has been elite in the earlygoing, but the Warriors are a different animal. Take Golden State to come into Boston and run away with the victory behind another staggering offensive display.

NBA Odds: Warriors 121, Celtics 106

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