Kevin Durant had the last laugh in his first meeting against his former team. He should be in for another massive performance as the Golden State Warriors once again play host to the Oklahoma City Thunder. For the Thunder, we all know about the massive season that Russell Westbrook is having as the main man in Oklahoma City, but in a game against a stacked team like the Warriors, Westbrook will need some help; particularly inside the paint.
At 10:30 p.m. ET, tune into ESPN for live television coverage of this NBA basketball game on Wednesday, January 18, 2017, at Oracle Arena.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Wednesday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Somehow Minnesota managed to shut down the Thunder offense on Friday night, giving them a disappointing loss SU and ATS. Despite that, this team is still 4-1 SU and ATS in their last five games.
Before that, however, things get a bit more troublesome with three straight losses. Nevertheless, this is still a very good team overall and at 23-18-1 ATS has a significant advantage over a Golden State team that constantly wins, but constantly falls short of lofty expectations.
The Warriors beat Detroit by 20-points on Thursday night and that finally snapped a six game losing streak ATS. Overall, they’re 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games and 5-13 ATS in their last 18.
Player to Watch
So, we can count on Westbrook to continue to be the offense for Oklahoma City. He is averaging 30.9 PPG, 10.5 APG and 10.7 RPG. He’ll get his numbers, but the fast-paced play of the Warriors won’t let him be a one-man wrecking ball like he can be against some of the shallower teams in the league.
Instead, the star guard will need help, which essentially points to two players: Victor Oladipo and Enes Kanter.
Steven Adams may and/or may not play on Wednesday. Either way, Kanter is crucial. He provided 29-points and 12-rebounds in the shootout victory over Sacramento on Sunday night. He’s averaging 14.5 PPG and 6.7 RPG, but has been far better than that of late. Over his last six games, he has four double-doubles and has 20 PPG and 10.1 RPG in his last seven games.
Kanter helps provide a presence for the Thunder inside and actually provides Oklahoma City with a matchup advantage over Zaza Pachulia at the center position. That’s especially true if Adams is able to play, too.
Between the foursome of Durant, Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, the Warriors have the edge in every other position, but Westbrook helps balance things out on the outside while Oladipo provides a very strong No.2.
Oladipo is second on the team in scoring with 16.4 PPG. He’s also a consistent and reliable performer who is coming off a 23-point game.
Letdown Spot
There’s no doubt that Kevin Durant will still come to play against his former team. He scored 39-points against them when they last met back in November, carrying Golden State in its 122-96 win. Now, the Warriors should be even better with more time to gel as a unit.
The Thunder are back in Oakland and there’s still the Durant versus his former team dynamic, but the Warriors will be taking on the Thunder following their third game of the season against the Cavaliers.
The Cleveland vs. Golden State matchup is the premier matchup in the NBA right now as these teams met in last season’s NBA Finals and are the odds-on favorites to make another NBA Finals appearance.
The matchup with the Cavs has become increasingly big for the Warriors given their struggles against Cleveland. The Warriors will have a day to change course from their Cleveland preparations to turn their focus to Westbrook and company, but you can bet that Oklahoma City has been targeting this game for quite some time.
Free NBA ATS Picks
One key injury to watch is the concussion suffered by Adams. Westbrook is a beast and has led the Thunder in scoring, rebounding and assists, but he cannot go it alone. He’s got some talented guards to contend with in Curry and Thompson. This is one game where Oklahoma City will need a player like Adams to help tie up Durant and company inside. If Adams is out, the responsibility falls to Kanter who is a good player, but this team really needs both Adams and Kanter to have much of a chance.
Look for Durant and Draymond Green to win the battle inside the paint while Curry and Thompson do enough outside against Westbrook and Oladipo. Besides, the Warriors are playing at home which given this team’s performance over the last couple years is almost a guaranteed win by itself.
While Golden State should walk away victorious, don’t look for a blowout. Westbrook won’t allow it. This game ends up closer than their last meeting back in November.
NBA Odds: Warriors 118, Thunder 107
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