The Brooklyn Nets snapped a three-game skid before flying across the country for Saturday’s game against the Golden State Warriors, who have won two in a row. Kevin Durant is expected to return for the Nets, which will be a big boost, but will it be enough for Brooklyn to slow down Steph Curry? The Golden State sharpshooter stays hot and shoots the Warriors to a win.
Warriors vs. Nets Betting Odds
Kevin Durant makes his return to the Bay Area as he comes back from his quarantine to lead the Brooklyn Nets to face the Golden State Warriors. The Nets earned a much-needed win without Durant on Wednesday against Indiana to stop a three-game losing skid, but Brooklyn has still lost four of its last six games and are just 8-6 since acquiring James Harden last month. The Warriors have won two straight and six of their last 10 as they get set to improve upon the shellacking they took in Brooklyn to begin the season in December.
The biggest difference for the Warriors is the return of Draymond Green to the court. Green’s leadership has been vital to the success of this young team, and he’s doing it in different ways. Green is not scoring the ball as much recently, but he’s racking up the assists with five straight games of double-digit assists totals for the Warriors while averaging just 6.8 points per game in that stretch. Green is actually the center of my courageous NBA predictions for this game as the legal sports betting sites in New Jersey list him at +1000 odds to record a triple-double, which I think is possible in this game. Brooklyn is allowing the second most shots inside the arc and that is where Green can shine. Plus, Green’s toughness and the injury to James Wiseman gives him the potential to have a strong game on the glass.
In six games this month, Curry is averaging 37.8 points per game and shooting 50 percent from 3-point range. He’s scored 30 in five of those six games and he’s made at least 10 3-pointers in two contests. Brooklyn is only allowing opponents to shoot 36.4 percent from behind the arc, but Curry is going to be a tough man for the Nets to mark. What makes him so dangerous is obviously his range, but Curry also finds different ways to score the ball by opening up space for himself in prime shooting locations. Given Brooklyn’s overall defensive struggles, Curry should again top 30 points in this matchup. The question is whether or not he will get past 35 points, and I think he will, so I’m betting at the basketball betting sites in New Jersey on Curry to score at least 35 points and lead Golden State to a win at +460 odds. The odds increase to +870 if you bet on Curry to score at least 40 points.
Durant is returning to the lineup for Brooklyn, reuniting the Nets’ three-headed superstar monster after missing the last three games due to COVID-19 protocols. He’s going to be angry about being out of the lineup for so long, especially after he was a late scratch due to contact tracing last week, so he’ll be amped up for this game. The issue for Brooklyn, though, is never whether or not it will score, but whether or not it will defend. It’s not going to be about slowing down Curry for the Nets on Saturday, but whether or not they can take the Warriors out of their team-oriented style of play and force Curry to beat them himself. Golden State is growing in confidence with their identity while Brooklyn’s defense is a big reason for this recent slide.
The Nets are deserved four-point favorites on the NBA betting sites in New Jersey, but these two teams are in very different spots than when they began the season. The lack of quality depth outside the three superstars is a big concern for Brooklyn, and Golden State is going to need some big performances from Kelly Oubre and Andrew Wiggins to help push it over the top. I am a fan of the Warriors’ team-centered approach and how it can exploit the weaknesses in Brooklyn’s defense, so I’ll bet on Golden State to win at home on the moneyline for +146 odds.
My Prediction
Golden State Moneyline
The Nets struggle defensively, and I can’t see how they have an answer to slow down Steph Curry on Saturday. The Warriors are starting to find their identity as a team and are playing some good basketball heading into this matchup.
