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The Golden State Warriors hit a bump in the road earlier this season when star forward Kevin Durant went down, but now they are back where so many thought they would end up -- closing in on top seed in the Western Conference. They will take a big step toward clinching it if they can knock off the Houston Rockets this week.
The Rockets are on of the chief challengers to Golden State in the conference but winning this game on the road will be a tall order. Houston has a great offense but superstar James Harden doesn't have as many reinforcements as the Warriors do.
Expect the Warriors to win this one at home, but based on the way these teams get up and down the court it may be one of the most entertaining games of the season.
This war on the floor will go down Friday, March 31, 2017, at 10:30 p.m. ET at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
We'll have NBA odds available for this and every game on the NBA Friday schedule.
NBA Odds
Golden State is 59-14 straight up and 34-37-2 against the spread. The Warriors have played in 35 home games on the season and have gone 18-16-1 against the spread in those contests. Golden State has gone 34-36-1 against the spread as the favorite. It has only been the underdog once this year.
The Rockets are 51-22 straight up and 42-31 against the spread. Houston has done really well against the spread on the road this season, covering in 24 of 36 attempts. The Rockets have only been the underdog 11 times this season and have covered in eight of them.
Player to Watch
Steph Curry -- The Warriors point guard had a team-high 32 points in the win over the Rockets on Tuesday and will look to deliver another big performance as his team hosts Houston on Friday. Curry combined for another 52 points in the previous other matchups against the Rockets this season.
Curry is averaging 24.8 points per game this season and with Kevin Durant still sidelined, it is critical that he and Klay Thompson deliver in these big games for the Warriors to get the win. He is one of the best shooters in the game, shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 40 percent from behind the three-point line.
The two-time reigning MVP is more than capable of taking the game in his hands and he’s proven it time and time again. He has recorded three 40-plus point games this year including a season-high 46 points against Pelicans in November and putting up 43 against the Clippers in January.
Scheduling Situation
It’s a tough week for Golden State as the team takes on two of the top teams in the league, facing Houston twice this week in addition to a showdown with San Antonio. The Warriors currently lead the Western Conference, sitting 2.5 games ahead of the Spurs.
The Warriors have beaten the Rockets twice this season, but are 0-2 against San Antonio this year. Three tough games in a row will be a test, even for this talent-loaded Warriors team, especially considering they are a superstar short right now.
Golden State is riding high now, toting an eight-game winning streak heading into Wednesday’s game against the Spurs. In that winning streak, the Warriors are averaging 112.6 points per game.
Free NBA ATS Pick
With a good week, Golden State can pretty much wrap up the best record in the NBA for the 2016-17 regular season. The Rockets won’t go down easily, but Harden doesn’t have enough of a supporting cast to knock off the best team in the NBA on the road.
Take the Warriors to win, although this one could come down to the very end, so keep an eye on where the spread comes in for this matchup. The scoring total is going to be extremely high.
NBA Odds: Warriors 127, Rockets 122
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