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The Golden State Warriors are down one of their MVPs, which means another might have to step up. Stephen Curry’s bum ankle is expected to keep him out an extended stretch but the team has plenty of others to fill in while he is sidelined. Kevin Durant should be the go-to guy for the time being, and he will aim to flex his muscle in a regular season matchup this week against the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit has been solid on the year, boasting a 14-9 overall record which puts it in contention for one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference. While the Pistons have a puncher’s chance in this game, especially because they are playing it at home, Golden State should still come in as the favorite.
This is an important stretch for the Warriors without Curry as they want to stay close to the Houston Rockets for the top seed in the West to guarantee home court advantage throughout the playoffs.
This war on the floor will go down Friday, December 8, 2017, at 7 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Friday schedule.
Odds Analysis
There is no spread out on this game quite yet. While Golden State should be the team to beat, the absence of Curry will undoubtedly give Detroit a better chance at pulling out the victory. It could also have an effect on the scoring total.
Golden State still has Durant and Klay Thompson to carry the scoring load, but Curry is a key part of the offense and it could take a little but of time to make everything run smoothly without him on the floor. That is definitely something to keep in mind if the total seems too high for this matchup.
Injury Report
Curry —Golden State’s star point guard suffered an ankle sprain Monday in his team’s win over the Pelicans. As time was winding down in the Warriors’ win, Curry went in for a steal against Pelicans guard E'Twaun Moore and tripped over Moore’s shoe.
The29-year-old already underwent an MRI which revealed there is no structural damage, but he will miss at least two weeks, the team has reported. The Warriors plan to re-evaluate his knee after two weeks to ensure he is healthy enough to return.
With so many stars on the team, Golden State has the luxury of being extra cautious. There will likely be no rush to bring him back until he 100 percent healthy to avoid re-injuring it down the road.
Player To Watch
Andre Drummond -- The Pistons’ center seems like a key figure in this one. The Warriors are built to get out quickly after missed shots, but if Drummond can control the boards on both ends of the court and patrol the lane on defense, it could help Detroit’s chances.
Drummond is hauling down 15.0 rebounds per game while adding 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks. He is a key figure defensively, although Golden State’s ability to shoot from the perimeter can help neutralize him. Drummond’s presence should help allow the Detroit perimeter players to stick tight to their players and allow drives to be funneled to Drummond.
This is a tough matchup, but the better he plays, the more likely Detroit can hang around.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Warriors are a great team and should be fine without Curry, but this is a dangerous game. The Pistons are 8-2 at home on the year and have a solid defense.
Look for Durant to take over this game because the Pistons don’t have anyone to guard him. Detroit should surprise people and come close to the upset, but the Warriors will hit enough big shots down the stretch to eke out the win.
However, the spread figures to be too high in this one. The Pistons should be the choice to cover. Check on the scoring total because the “under” should definitely be in play without Curry on the floor leading the way for Golden State.
NBA Odds: Warriors 109, Pistons 105
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