Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers
Moda Center – Portland, Oregon
Sunday, April 13, 2014, 9:00 pm Eastern, TV: CSN Bay, CSN-NW, NBA LP
Opening Line: Portland -3
Current Line: Portland -3 1/2
Opening Total: 203
Current Total: 203 1/2
Opening Money Line: Blazers -160 / Warriors +135
Current money Line: Blazers -170 / Warriors +145
The top 3 seeds are pretty much locked up in the Western Conference. The other five seeds are still in question. The 52-28 Portland Trail Blazers and 49-30 Golden State Warriors have both clinched playoff spots as they meet Sunday. Portland would currently be the #5 seed, and they trail #4 seed the Houston Rockets by a game for home court in that series. Golden State is currently the #6 seed, and trails Portland by 2 1/2 games. The Warriors are a game ahead of #7 the Dallas Mavericks and 2 games ahead of #8 the Memphis Grizzlies.
Golden State has won 5 of the last 6 games against Portland, including 2 of 3 meetings this season. The Trail Blazers won 113-101 November 23 in Oakland. The Warriors won 103-88 in Oakland January 26, and March 16 113-112 in Portland. Golden State guard Stephen Curry scored a combined 75 points in the last two games against Portland.
Golden State is coached by Mark Jackson. The Warriors have won 3 of their last 4 games, including a 112-95 win at the Los Angeles Lakers Friday night. Golden State will clinch at least the #6 seed with a win tonight and will stay alive for passing Portland for the #5 seed. The Warriors are 38-38-3 ATS this season and the total is 30-47-2 this season.
Golden State is outscoring teams 104-99 this season. The Warriors are #10 in scoring and #8 in points allowed. Golden State is shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.8% from 3 point range. The Warriors are #9 in field goal percentage and #5 in three point shooting. Golden State makes 75.5% of their free throws. Opponents are shooting 43.4% from the field and 34.2% from 3 point range. The Warriors are #4 in field goal defense and #3 in three point defense. Golden State averages 45.3 rebounds per game and opponents average 43.3 per game. The Warriors are #3 in rebounding and #20 in rebounds allowed. Golden State averages 23.2 assists, 15.2 turnovers, 7.7 steals and 5.1 blocks per game. Opponents average 20.2 assists, 14.9 turnovers, 8 steals and 4.2 blocks per game.
Curry averages 23.6 points, 8.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Guard Klay Thompson averages 18.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Forward David Lee averages 18.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. Lee returned Friday night against the Lakers after missing the previous 7 games with a hamstring injury. Forward Harrison Barnes averages 9.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Forward Andre Iguodala averages 9.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He is probable with a knee injury. Jermaine O’Neal, Jordan Crawford, Andrew Bogut, Marresse Speights and Draymond Green will also get some minutes. Bogut leads the team in rebounds at 10 per game and blocks at 1.8 per game. O’Neal is questionable with a knee injury. Center Festus Ezeli is out indefinitely with a knee injury and has missed the entire season.
Portland is coached by Terry Stotts. The Trail Blazers have won 7 of their last 8 games including 3 straight. Portland won at the Utah Jazz 111-99 Friday night. The Blazers will clinch at least the #5 seed with a win tonight and will move to within a half game of the idle Houston Rockets. The Rockets host San Antonio tomorrow night. Portland is 43-37 ATS this season and the total is 44-35-1 this season.
Portland is outscoring teams 107-103 this season. The Trail Blazers are #3 in scoring and #20 in points allowed. Portland is shooting 44.9% from the field and 37.1% from 3 point range. The Blazers are #9 in 3 point shooting. Portland leads the league in free throw shooting at 81.7% from the line. Opponents are shooting 45.1% from the field and 35.5% from 3 point range. The Blazers average 46.2 rebounds per game and opponents average 43.6 per game. Portland leads the league in rebounding but is #24 in rebounds allowed. The Blazers average 23.1 assists, 13.8 turnovers, 5.5 steals, and 4.8 blocks per game. Opponents average 20.4 assists, 12 turnovers, 7.8 steals and 3.8 blocks per game.
Forward LaMarcus Aldridge averages 23.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1 block per game. Point guard Damian Lillard averages 20.9 points, 5.6 assists and 3.6 blocks per game. Guard Wesley Matthews averages 16.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Forward Nicolas Batum averages 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. Center Robin Lopez averages 11 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Mo Williams, Dorrell Wright, Thomas Robinson, Will Barton, and Joel Freeland will also get significant minutes. Freeland is questionable with a knee injury.
Golden State is 5-2 ATS against Western Conference teams, 2-6 against Northwest Division teams, 1-4 in Sunday games, 2-8 against teams with winning home records, 2-9-1 after a straight up win by 10 points or more, 1-5 after a win and after scoring 100 points or more, and 1-6 after a cover. The Warriors are 11-5 ATS in the last 16 against the Blazers, including 5-2 in Portland.
Portland is 5-1 ATS on 1 day rest, 4-1 in Sunday games and against teams with winning records, and 4-9 after a straight up win of 10 points or more. The over is 5-2 in the last 7 games in this series.
While both of these teams are already in the playoffs, they are playing for seeding. They would both like to avoid the bottom 3 seeds so they don’t have to play San Antonio, Oklahoma City or the LA Clippers in the first round. One of these teams will have to do just that though. These are two of the highest scoring and best rebounding teams in the league. Golden State is much better on defense though. I think that is the difference as the Warriors pull off the upset on the road.
