The New Orleans Pelicans had no problem surprising their foe in the first round, sweeping past the favored Portland Trail Blazers in four games. It will be a different animal this time around as the underdog Pelicans would pull off a titanic upset if they can knock off the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
The Dubs will have the home court in Game 1 as they aim to run out to a quick series lead in the Western Conference Semifinals. Golden State got here by dispatching the San Antonio Spurs in five games in their opening round series. The Warriors will be heavily favored to win Game 1 as well as capture the series over New Orleans.
The Pelicans have played really well lately, which was a surprise after the team lost star forward DeMarcus Cousins to injury in the middle of the season. Despite the absence of Cousins, the Pelicans have found a groove and would love to put a scare into the Warriors behind superstar center Anthony Davis. The first game of the series could be a preview of how this Western Conference semifinal will turn out in NBA basketball gambling.
Game 1 of this NBA Playoff Series is on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 10:30 p.m. ET Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. The contest will be nationally televised on TNT.
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Odds Analysis
The Warriors have been listed as eight-point favorites for Game 1, as the oddsmakers don’t believe the Pelicans can pull out another upset against a stiff increase in competition. The betting public believes the spread is too high as the Pelicans have taken in more than 73 percent of the action to cover the spread.
The scoring total is listed at 223.5 points, which is up one point from where it began. The Warriors are one of the most explosive teams in the NBA and they will now face a team that is willing to push the pace with them at times. The “under” is the more popular choice among gamblers as about 53 percent of the action is on that side of the scoring total.
Golden State is a -440 favorite on the moneyline, while the Pelicans are listed as the +344 underdogs. A whopping 90 percent of the action is on New Orleans to pull the unlikely road upset.
Injury Report
Warriors fans are officially on Steph Curry watch. The team’s star point guard missed all of the first series against the Spurs as he continued to heal from an MCL sprain he suffered in late March, but has been seen on the court at practice and during pregame shootaround and looks like he might be close to making a return.
It’s being reported that the 30-year-old will be re-evaluated on Friday and could possibly be back for Game 1 of this series against New Orleans. That would be a big boost for the Warriors who played very well against the Spurs even without its superstar.
The team is stacked with stars Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson already so even if Curry has to miss a few more games or all of this series, the Warriors could very well still win out. The will definitely want him back in time for the very likely possibility of a meeting with a red-hot Houston team in the Western Conference Finals, however.
Coaching Situation
New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry was once a part of the Warriors staff under current head coach Steve Kerr, and even won a title with the franchise in 2015. Now, three years later, he’ll face off against the team.
Gentry worked as an associate head coach under Kurr from 2014-2015 and the two coaches are close off the court, but will both be all business once Game 1 begins. It will be interesting to see if Gentry’s inside knowledge of the team can help him find a way to upset Golden State.
The Pelicans swept Portland in the first round so they will come in well rested and with a lot of momentum, especially with the way Davis is playing. Still, it’s going to be an uphill battle for Gentry against this stacked roster so any inside information he may have gained as a former member of the other bench will be vital.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Pelicans enter playing extremely well, rolling off four straight wins over the Blazers to cruise into the second round. However, the Warriors are a different beast. If Curry can play in Game 1, it will be impossible for the Pelicans to defend all of Golden State’s weapons.
The belief here is that Curry sits for at least another few days, and the lack of a third elite option will keep this game reasonably close. The Warriors should win Game 1 but the Pelicans are the choice to cover the spread. The “under” should be considered as the teams will be feeling each other out in this game and there might be some wrinkles that work defensively in NBA basketball betting lines.
NBA ATS Pick: Warriors 109, Pelicans 102
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