PREMIUM
3-Game Friday SWEEPER PASS
(NBA) Golden State vs. Detroit,
Point Spread: -6.50 | -105.00 Golden State (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -6.50 | -105.00 Golden State (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Warriors played in Brooklyn last night without forward Draymond Green, who returned to the Bay Area for the birth of his son. Golden State won 117-101 and heads to Detroit as owners of the NBA's best record at 26-4. The Pistons lost 98-86 at home to the Grizzlies on Wednesday, the team's fourth straight loss, and host the league's "super team" at 14-17 overall with head coach Stan Van Gundy considering some lineup changes (how can that be good?).
Golden State: The Warriors didn't Green against the hapless Nets, moving to 14-2 on the road but they are a much more modest 7-8-1 ATS. That said, Thursday night's game was no cake walk, as the Warriors trailed by 16 points at halftime before outscoring the Nets 68-36 in the second half. All are familiar with the Golden State's cast of characters, with the Warriors leading the NBA in both scoring (117.4 PPG) and shooting percentage (49.4%). Green's status for the Pistons' game is uncertain though coach Steve Kerr opined that it is possible Green will decide to travel since games in Detroit are viewed as home games by the Michigan native (injury report has him listed as probable). However, everybody expects the highly competitive Green to be back with the team in time for the Christmas Day showdown with the Cavaliers.
Detroit: The Pistons actually viewed the team's 98-86 loss to the Grizzlies as a sign of progress. the reason for that is, the team had allowed an aveggae of 113.3 PPG in its previous three losses. The defensive effort was better but the Pistons shot 36.1 percent from the floor and 26.1 percent from three-point range. "Our guys are just getting so frustrated offensively," Van Gundy said. "We definitely competed hard. There is no question about that. We just couldn't score." Van Gundy planned to make a lineup switch on Wednesday but a car accident postponed that move. Power forward Jon Leuer missed the morning shootaround after being involved in a 45-mile-per-hour collision in which his airbags deployed. Leuer suffered minor injuries but was able to play effectively that night, contributing 18 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes. He will likely replace either Marcus Morris or Tobias Harris in the lineup on Friday. Harris scored just seven points against the Grizzlies, the eighth consecutive game he has produced 15 points or less. Morris has shot 22.9 percent from the field over the last four games, including a 1-for-11 outing against the Grizzlies.
The pick: Yes, it's a back-to-back game situation for the Warriors but the Pistons are a mess right now. PG Jackson briefly departed the game against Memphis when his left knee developed soreness and that raised concerns for everyone as that same knee caused Jackson to miss the season's first 21 games. "I thought I felt something in there, so I wanted to make sure everything was good, then I got back out there," Jackson told reporters. The Pistons are now just 3-7 since PG Jackson's return to the lineup, something that was expected to be a plus. These Warriors lost just nine regular season games last season and one of those was a 113-95 victory by these Pistons over the Warriors last Jan. 16. here in Detroit. However, that win ended a nine-game losing streak in the series. Lay the points with the warriors and make them an 8* play.
Golden State: The Warriors didn't Green against the hapless Nets, moving to 14-2 on the road but they are a much more modest 7-8-1 ATS. That said, Thursday night's game was no cake walk, as the Warriors trailed by 16 points at halftime before outscoring the Nets 68-36 in the second half. All are familiar with the Golden State's cast of characters, with the Warriors leading the NBA in both scoring (117.4 PPG) and shooting percentage (49.4%). Green's status for the Pistons' game is uncertain though coach Steve Kerr opined that it is possible Green will decide to travel since games in Detroit are viewed as home games by the Michigan native (injury report has him listed as probable). However, everybody expects the highly competitive Green to be back with the team in time for the Christmas Day showdown with the Cavaliers.
Detroit: The Pistons actually viewed the team's 98-86 loss to the Grizzlies as a sign of progress. the reason for that is, the team had allowed an aveggae of 113.3 PPG in its previous three losses. The defensive effort was better but the Pistons shot 36.1 percent from the floor and 26.1 percent from three-point range. "Our guys are just getting so frustrated offensively," Van Gundy said. "We definitely competed hard. There is no question about that. We just couldn't score." Van Gundy planned to make a lineup switch on Wednesday but a car accident postponed that move. Power forward Jon Leuer missed the morning shootaround after being involved in a 45-mile-per-hour collision in which his airbags deployed. Leuer suffered minor injuries but was able to play effectively that night, contributing 18 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes. He will likely replace either Marcus Morris or Tobias Harris in the lineup on Friday. Harris scored just seven points against the Grizzlies, the eighth consecutive game he has produced 15 points or less. Morris has shot 22.9 percent from the field over the last four games, including a 1-for-11 outing against the Grizzlies.
The pick: Yes, it's a back-to-back game situation for the Warriors but the Pistons are a mess right now. PG Jackson briefly departed the game against Memphis when his left knee developed soreness and that raised concerns for everyone as that same knee caused Jackson to miss the season's first 21 games. "I thought I felt something in there, so I wanted to make sure everything was good, then I got back out there," Jackson told reporters. The Pistons are now just 3-7 since PG Jackson's return to the lineup, something that was expected to be a plus. These Warriors lost just nine regular season games last season and one of those was a 113-95 victory by these Pistons over the Warriors last Jan. 16. here in Detroit. However, that win ended a nine-game losing streak in the series. Lay the points with the warriors and make them an 8* play.
