After a relatively slow start by their standards, the Golden State Warriors have begun to string some impressive wins together. They will aim to keep that going in a tough road matchup against the Boston Celtics, one of the more talented teams in the Eastern Conference.
Boston has been up and down this year but has the pedigree to be competitive. Even though the Celtics are at home, clearly the Warriors should be favored because of their vast array of talent. The NBA title favorites seem to have assimilated star addition Kevin Durant into the fold and can add a nice win to their docket on the road in Boston.
Don't miss the hardwood action from the TD Garden at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday, November 18, 2016. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN.
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Odds Analysis
The Warriors are 8-2 straight up this season, which is actually trailing the Los Angeles Clippers in the Pacific Division currently. Golden State has gone 4-6 against the spread and it’s going to be tough all year as it will need to constantly blow teams out in order to cover after giving so many points.
The Warriors are 2-3 against the spread on the road this year. They have been the favorites in every game on the season and figure to be one again here. Golden State has hit the “over” in seven of ten games this season as its offense has found full throttle.
The Celtics are 5-5 overall and 5-5 against the spread. They have covered twice in four tries at home this season and have been the favorite in seven of their 10 games on the year.
Player to Watch
Kevin Durant -- The Celtics are going to be hard-pressed to slow down the Warriors sweet-shooting forward. He has blended in well since coming over from the Oklahoma City Thunder in the offseason, averaging a team-high 27.7 points on the year while adding 7.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest.
Durant had 29 points and nine rebounds in a recent win over the Suns and he is settling in as a guy who can pour in 30 points a night and come close to a double-double. He is a tremendous asset for a team which was great last season but fell to the Cavs in the NBA Finals.
The Celtics have a bunch of different players to worry about, but Durant is one of the main ones who must be slowed for them to have a shot at the upset.
Scheduling Situation
This will be the second of three games in four nights for the Warriors. They will be in the midst of a four-game road trip, so one advantage Boston will have is sleeping in its own beds and playing at home.
The Warriors are the more talented team but sometimes the fatigue will catch up to a team. It’s especially concerning since Golden State relies so much on its outside shooting. This is one reason why the Celtics should be considered for a possible cover in this matchup.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Celtics are better than their record would suggest and are expected to be one of the higher seeds in the East once the playoffs come around. They added Al Horford this offseason and he is a key piece, but Horford is dealing with a concussion.
If he is out for this one, that’s a big help for Golden State. Horford is a good player to feed the ball into in the post to try to slow the game down. If Horford is out, Isaiah Thomas and some of the other guards will have to carry the load.
It’s not a good idea to get into a high-scoring affair with the Warriors, and despite some weary legs Golden State should pull this one out.
NBA Odds: Warriors 115, Celtics 103
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