With the first week of the NBA season underway, we’re getting our initial impressions of every team. Few teams have looked as impressive as the Golden State Warriors. They’ve rattled off wins against the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, two Western Conference playoff contenders. Now they have a third straight matchup with a West playoff hopeful, the Portland Trail Blazers. It’s going to be an exciting matchup.
The Warriors are 2.5-point road favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. They’re priced at -135 on the moneyline, while the Trail Blazers are +114 home underdogs. The total for this game is set at 227.5 points. Let’s get into my preview, prediction and pick for this Blazers vs. Warriors game.
Warriors vs. Blazers prediction, preview
Portland won’t be pleased with a loss in its first game, but going down to the wire with the Minnesota Timberwolves was a positive sign. Its defensive core of Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan got a significant boost with the addition of Jrue Holiday. Perhaps the most important “addition” would be getting Jerami Grant to buy back into the team. Having his scoring and floor spacing back would change the team’s outlook dramatically.
Golden State’s season outlook has looked different over the first two games. Behind the duo of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, the Warriors have an excellent formula. Draymond Green controls the defense, and the young players are buying in. With some solid veteran role players, they look like a dangerous force in the West.
So, who has the edge here? The wily and experienced veterans, or the up-and-coming young guns?
Warriors vs. Blazers pick, best bet
One thing will dictate this matchup: transition offense. The Portland Trail Blazers are not much of a half-court scoring team, ranking 25th in half-court points per possession last season, per Cleaning the Glass. But they were 10th in transition frequency last year with solid efficiency. When these young guys get out and running, they can put home the easy buckets.
That’s going to be a problem for this Warriors team. It’s early in the season, and this veteran-heavy team is coming off an overtime game against the Nuggets last. night. It’ll be tough to find the legs for this matchup. Against a strong defense full of athletic wings and bigs, the Warriors will drop their first game of the season.
