Denver Nuggets (17-11) at Golden State Warriors (17-12), 10:30 pm Eastern Friday
by Zman of Predictem.com
A couple of the highest-scoring teams in the league will run the floor when the Denver Nuggets visit the Golden State Warriors in the opener of a quick home-and-home series Friday night in Oakland.
NBA betting boards list Golden State as a four-point home favorite for Friday’s game, with a total of 227. Also, the Warriors are listed at from -160 to -240 on various moneylines, with Denver getting from +150 to +200 as road underdogs.
Denver has won two straight games after bombing Milwaukee Wednesday night 125-105. The Nuggets shot 55% from the floor against the Bucks and once led by 39 points. So going into Friday’s action, Denver leads the Northwest Division by a game over the surprising second-place Portland Trailblazers.
Golden State has also won two in a row after winning at Minnesota Wednesday 105-101. So heading into Friday’s play, the Warriors sit in third place in the Pacific Division, just three games back of the first-place Phoenix Suns.
On the season, the Nuggets are 13-15 against the spread, and 5-7 both straight up and ATS on the road.
Meanwhile, GS is 14-15 vs. the numbers this season, 8-5 SU but just 6-7 against the spread at home.
Denver took three of four games from the Warriors last season. But the teams split two games after the Nuggets acquired G Allen Iverson from Philadelphia in December. Also, the o/u went 3-1 in the four meetings between these two teams last season, which averaged 234 points per.
Statistically speaking, Denver ranks 7th in the league in points-per-game differential at +3.9 but 22nd in rebounding at -2 per game. Also, the Nuggets are shooting 46% from the field as a team, 34% from 3-point range and 75% from the free-throw line, and are holding opponents to 44.5% FG shooting.
On the other side of this match-up, the Warriors are ranked 12th in the league at +1.9 ppg and a lousy 29th in rebounding at -5.3 per game, are shooting 45% from the floor, 35% from long range and 74% from the line, and are allowing foes to shoot 46% from the field.
The Sagarin PREDICTOR ratings at USAToday.com rank Golden State 10th at 92.3, Denver 12th at 92.1.
The o/u is 14-14 in Nuggets games this season, which are averaging 210 points per, while the totals are 13-15 in Warriors games, which are averaging 214 points.
These two teams will also square off Sunday in Denver.
