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Warriors to Extend Blazers’ Skid

Golden State to Set Visiting Portland Ablaze

The Portland Trail Blazers face a tough ask on the road when they descend on the high-flying Golden State Warriors for a prime-time showdown, as the pair bring down the curtain on Wednesday’s NBA betting card. As things currently stand, the game is cornered with the Warriors with a double-digit point spread.

Game: Portland Trail Blazers (11-14) at Golden State Warriors (20-4)
Location: Chase Center, San Francisco
Day/Time: Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET
Television: ESPN

Portland Trail Blazers vs Golden State Warriors week 8 2021
Steph Chambers/Getty Images/AFP

Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors

Trail Blazers Seek to Snap Skid

The Trail Blazers are in the midst of a so-so season, but recent form has careened off the tracks with Monday’s 102-90 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers extending their negative run of form.

Portland is riding a three-game losing streak into Wednesday’s clash with the Golden State Warriors – a poor run of form that is exacerbated further by six defeats in the last seven games that dates back to Thanksgiving.

The Trail Blazers headed into the festive weekend with a 10-8 record and four-game winning streak that was capped off with a 119-100 win over the Denver Nuggets. Since then, things went south quickly. In the main, injuries have played a part in this downturn.

Losses to the Sacramento Kings, Warriors, Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics and, most recently, the Los Angeles Clippers have seen them slip to a woeful 11-14 record. The only bright spot during this stretch was a 110-92 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Road form offers little reprieve for the Blazers though, and that’s something that goes back to the start of the season, which is a source of concern. They’ve lost four on the trot and 10 of their 11 away games overall – including a 118-113 loss to the Warriors on Nov. 26. The only road win came at the expense of the Houston Rockets, who are struggling just as badly on form across the board.

The Blazers are 9-16-0 against the spread (ATS) with a 2.6 losing margin and a -4.5 differential versus the spread on average. On the road, the Blazers’ ATS record matches their win-loss record (1-10-0) and includes an 11.9 losing margin on average and an 11-point differential versus the spread. It’s safe to say, based on these stats, the Blazers aren’t exactly a lock for NBA betting online picks.

Damian Lillard (abdomen) is still out while CJ McCollum (ribs) Anfernee Simons (ankle), Nasser Little (ankle) and Ben McLemore (hip) are listed as questionable for Wednesday’s clash with the Warriors.

Warriors Soaring

The Golden State Warriors started the season as one of the top five bets to win the NBA championship, behind the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks. That sportsbook outlook didn’t last long though, as Golden State’s hot start quickly redressed the balance in the league.

Now, the Warriors boast a league-leading 20-4 record, which puts them on a level with the Phoenix Suns (20-4) as the best teams in the league.

Golden State suffered a little wobble at the weekend with a surprising 112-107 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at home. But the Warriors bounced back with their trademark verve and swagger, routing the Orlando Magic 126-95 to cover as the 15½-point closing home favorites as predicted by most NBA betting experts.

Stephen Curry is having a standout season. The longtime Warriors talisman led his side with 31 points, eight assists and two steals in the lopsided win on Monday. Curry had help from Andrew Wiggins, who put up 28 points, three assists and three rebounds. Jordan Poole added 12 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.

As it is, Golden State has the second-best ATS record through the first quarter of the season. They’re 17-6-1 ATS with a 13-point winning margin on average and a +6.9 differential versus the spread.

When playing with home advantage, the Warriors are 11-3-1 ATS with a 16.5 point winning margin and a +8.2 differential versus the spread.

Klay Thompson (Achilles), James Wiseman (knee), and Andre Iguodala (knee) are out indefinitely for Golden State.

Warriors to Win and Cover

The Warriors have the best record at home at 13-2 while the Blazers have the second-worst record on the road at 1-10. No two teams could be more polar opposite, so it’s not surprising to see the markets skewed in favor of the hosts.

The point spread is quite generous and can put off some bettors. But considering the Trail Blazers can’t seem to buy a win or a cover on the road, it’s more likely than not that the Warriors will come through with a commanding win at home. Put it this way, color the world shocked if they don’t.

Pick: Golden State Warriors -14

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