Warriors to Steady Ship vs. Pacers

The Golden State Warriors were in cruise control, but after losing three of their last five games, beating the visiting Indiana Pacers is important.

Golden State’s struggles stem from losing Draymond Green to a back injury, and despite getting Klay Thompson back, it hasn’t resulted in instant success.

NBA betting odds have the Warriors as firm favorites at home.

• Game: Indiana Pacers (16-29) at Golden State Warriors (32-12)
• Location: Chase Center
• Day/Time: Thursday, 10 p.m. ET

Indiana Pacers at Golden State Warriors

Pacers Hit Back

Not much is going right for the Indiana Pacers, but beating the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday is a step in the right direction.

The 111-104 victory came as a 3½-point underdog, so it wasn’t a massive upset, but it was just their second win from their last 10 games.

Consistency has been tough for the Pacers and being 4-17 on the road hasn’t helped. They’re not a bad team at home, but it’s a standout statistic against the Golden State Warriors, who are 19-3 at home.

The sportsbook has the line at +11 for the Pacers, so they’re not expecting a close game.  However, if Caris LeVert drops 30 points like he did against the Lakers, it could be a thrilling contest.

“I knew I felt good,” Caris LeVert told ESPN. “My teammates kept me in it. … My body felt great, and I felt locked in. The fouls were definitely frustrating. I knew I had to have a big fourth with Malcolm (Brogdon) sitting out in the fourth.”

Playing without rest hasn’t hindered the Pacers, who are 9-2 against the spread playing a back-to-back.

Warriors Looking to Stabilize

Green’s injury has impacted the Golden State Warriors. Losses to Memphis, Milwaukee and Minnesota aren’t shocking, but they have scored only 201 points from their last two games. That’s lower than their 109.7-point average and it could have something to do with needing to play more defense.

With Green on the floor, the Warriors are the best defensive team in the NBA. They rank first in points allowed and field goal percentage, but he won’t available against the Pacers and that’s a problem.

They will need to rely on their offense to punish the Pacers, who have a woeful defense. Betting online markets have factored Indiana’s defense into the double-figure line, especially with Curry and Thompson on the court.

A stabilizing win is needed for the Warriors, but bettors would love to see them cover the spread. They are 25-17-2 ATS, but six of those losses have come from the last nine games.

Warriors Ready to Ignite

The Warriors took care of business in their most recent game against Detroit and we’re expecting a similar result.

Despite the first meeting against Indiana coming down to the wire with a 102-100 victory, playing at home is the difference.

The Warriors are one of our NBA best bets for Thursday and they should have no problems covering the spread.

Pick: Golden State Warriors -11½