Golden State’s insane scoring margin this season has been aided by a pair of blowout wins against the Lakers, where the Warriors outscored them by an average of 27.5 points. If Los Angeles can keep the margin of victory below 20 points they’ll likely consider it a victory.
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SCHEDULING
Playing a back-to-back or three games in four nights doesn’t have much of an effect on the Warriors, who go 11 deep on the bench and also have young legs. Golden State has a date with the Nuggets in Denver on Wednesday before hosting the Lakers to finish off its stretch of three games over four days. The only thing it might do is decrease the Warriors’ margin of victory over Los Angeles, which is a whopping 27.5 points in two decisive victories. One of the Warriors’ two losses this season came in the second game of a back-to-back, a 108-99 defeat at Milwaukee which came after an overtime win in Boston the night before. The Dubs are 9-1 SU and 8-2 ATS in the second game of a back-to-back this season.
The Lakers haven’t left California since the New Year with their only road game since then being in the state capital, a 118-115 loss to the Kings. January started well enough for LA with a pair of wins that extended their overall streak to three straight following a victory in Boston on Dec. 30. It was the first time the Lakers had won that many games consecutively in a year. The feel-good stretch ended with a reality-check 109-88 loss to the Warriors at Staples Center on Jan. 5, which started the Lakers sixth losing streak of at least four games already this season.
INJURIES
Considered one of the more healthy teams in the league not too long ago, the Lakers are now dealing with a variety of ailments. Kobe Bryant was a late scratch from Sunday’s game due to a strained right Achilles and D’Angelo Russell missed the game with a sprained ankle. Also, Julius Randle was held out of practice earlier in the week with a bone bruise in his foot, an injury that is not considered serious.
Stephen Curry suffered a shin bruise Dec. 28, missed a pair of games and has since aggravated the injury twice. Golden State’s medical staff said the bruise would take about four weeks heal, but Curry said he has no plans to sit out that long. He’s been fitted with soccer-style shin guards to protect his lower leg.
KEY MATCHUP
For a few minutes a game, the Warriors can hit a level above that of any other team in the league. Sometimes, it feels like that level transcends every team from every era. And that’s usually all it takes; one short scoring outburst, usually by Steph Curry, and most of Warriors’ games are finished. With the MVP on the floor, the Dubs have obliterated opponents by 22.7 points per 100 possessions, a number higher than the +17.0 they posted with him on the floor last season. Both numbers are obviously fantastic, but what happens when Curry sits is more significant. Last year, the Warriors proved they could tread water without him, getting outscored by just one-tenth of a point per 100 possessions in the minutes he sat. This season, they’ve posted a minus-4.8 net rating. Curry’s court time against the Lakers has been lessened by a pair of blowout wins and he averages just 20.5 in the two games. However, in the second game of a back-to-back he goes for an average of 31.1 points over nine games. That’s why he’s the MVP.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Not many teams match up well against the Warriors and the Lakers are probably the worst. Los Angeles was humbled in its first visit to Northern California, dropping a 111-77 decision to the Dubs in a game Bryant would like to forget. The future Hall of Famer had a game that would get most players sent to the D-League when he hit just 1 of 14 field goal attempts. That kind of sums up the series and the season for the Lakers – they just haven’t been very good.
Golden State 115, Los Angeles 97
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