The Golden State Warriors will be without Steph Curry for another couple weeks at least because of an ankle injury, but that’s not slowing the team down. Despite the absence of the former MVP, the Warriors’ other stars are stepping up and the team continues to cruise.
Golden State has won nine consecutive games and will aim to remain hot when it hosts the Los Angeles Lakers. Even without Curry the Warriors are a dominant group and will be heavy favorites in this matchup. The Lakers have been one of the worst teams in the NBA early on and don’t seem to have much of a chance to pull this upset.
The more intriguing margin will surround the spread as the Warriors may need to dominate to cover.
At 10:30 p.m. ET, tune into TNT for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Friday, December 22, 2017, at Oracle Arena.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Friday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Warriors are 24-6 overall on the season and have covered in 14 of their 30 outings. Golden State has been favored in every one of its games this season. The Warriors are 6-7 against the spread at home.
The Lakers are 10-18 straight up and 14-14 against the spread. Los Angeles has been the underdog in all but three games this season, going 12-13 attempting to cover in those contests.
Last Meeting
This Friday’s showdown between the Lakers and the Warriors will mark the second matchup between the two squads this week and the third meeting of the season. The teams also faced off in a thriller Monday night that came down to the wire, their second over-time finish of the year.
The game remained tight for all four quarters and even after regulation with Kevin Durant nailing a late jumper to seal the win in OT. Durant finished with a team-high 36 points including 13 in overtime for the Warriors, who were without Curry.
Ben Ingram had 19 points in the loss for the Lakers and Kyle Kuzma had 25 off the bench. The Warriors are 2-0 against the Lakers this season, also beating them 127-124 in their first meeting this season back in November.
Player to Watch
Lonzo Ball — The Lakers’ rookie has played under a microscope this season, and it can’t be easy. But, it appears as though the 20-year-old might finally be hitting his stride.
Ball had 16 points in his team’s loss to the Lakers on Monday, shooting 50 percent from the field. He is averaging a team-high 7.1 assists a game as well.
After a rocky start to his debut season, where he struggled with efficiency, the No. 2 overall pick now seems to finding his footing on the court which should also help his confidence. Despite the team’s three-game losing streak, Lonzo is picking it up and should be poised for another strong showing in this rematch against the defending champs.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Lakers have played Golden State tough in the first two matchups, which should give the young team some confidence as they face off again. The absence of Curry is a big one, as it takes away one of the best players in the NBA.
However, the Warriors are the much better team playing at home. This matchup is not going to be nearly as competitive as the other matchups in 2017. Choose Golden State to take control early on and cruise to the win.
The only real question will be whether the Warriors can cover a spread that should be high, and if the “over” or the “under” is the correct call on the scoring total. Keep an eye on when the lines for this game come out.
NBA Odds: Warriors 117, Lakers 105
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
