Last year’s Western Conference Finals combatants will meet again these playoffs, though, it’s going to be in the first round. Still, this is an intriguing matchup that deserves to be watched closely by NBA fans. Read on for a preview of Game 1 of this series.
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Betting Preview for the San Antonio Spurs vs Golden State Warriors NBA Western Conference Round 1 Game on April 14 2018
Where: Oracle Arena
When: Saturday, April 14, 2018, 3:00 PM EST
Line: San Antonio Spurs (spread) vs. Golden State Warriors (spread) – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ABC
Betting on the San Antonio Spurs (+8)
Despite their age and the injuries that they had to deal with in the regular season, the Spurs have managed to reach their 21st consecutive playoffs. That’s a huge accomplishment on its own, the head coach Gregg Popovich won’t be popping champagne nor even open a soup can to celebrate that. All he wants is an NBA championship with or without Kawhi Leonard in the lineup. Leonard is still unlikely to play because of mysterious quad injury, which means the Spurs will rely more on teamwork and on their defense in trying to pass the test of the Warriors in the first round. The Spurs also still have LaMarcus Aldridge, who seemed to have found an extra gear late in the regular season, as he averaged 25.7 points and 9.0 rebounds in the Spurs’ last 10 games. When San Antonio defeated the Warriors on Mar. 19 at home, Aldridge dropped 33 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Aldridge put up 26.8 points in four meetings with Golden State back in the regular season, and no single player on the Warriors unit can stop him once he finds his stroke in a game.
The Spurs are 5-5 ATS in their last 10 games in Oakland.
Betting on the Golden State Warriors (-8)
It’s time to flip the switch for the Warriors. After lollygagging for the better part of the twilight of the regular season, the Warriors will now have to break out of their daydreaming and start playing like the defending champions they are even without Stephen Curry. Curry is still nursing a knee issue and Steve Kerr has recently noted that Curry will not be playing in the first round. If that’s going to be the case, the Warriors still have plenty of firepower to expend with Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and the free-flowing, sweet-passing Golden State style of offense still capable of swallowing their opponents alive. The Warriors ranked first in the regular season in points with 113.5 per game, first in effective field goal percentage, and first in field goal shooting percentage. The Warriors are the Warriors and while they will likely not have Curry, that’s still a way more favorable situation than the Spurs team missing Leonard.
The Warriors are 7-1 SU and 5-3 ATS in their last eight home games against San Antonio.
Writer’s Prediction:
Golden State wins game 1 of round 1, 110-103
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