Trail Blazers vs. Warriors Betting Line, Bulls vs. Heat Betting Line
Carrie Stroup here with your Trail Blazer vs. Warriors betting line and Bulls vs. Heat betting line. These are your only two NBA games Thursday evening.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (51-27) at GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (63-15)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Golden State -10, Total: 211
The Warriors look to avoid losing a third straight game when they host the Blazers Thursday.
The Blazers have played some great basketball recently, beating the Timberwolves 116-91 as 16.5-point home favorites for their third win both SU and ATS in their past four games. In those contests, Portland has won every game in which the team held its opponent to less than 100 points.
Golden State, meanwhile, has now lost two straight games after a 103-100 loss as 4.5-point road favorites against New Orleans Tuesday. Over the past three seasons, the Warriors are 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS when facing the Blazers. They are 3-1 SU but just 2-2 ATS when hosting Portland in that time.
The Blazers are 20-9 ATS in road games after five straight games forcing opponent to commit 14 or less turnovers over the past two seasons. Golden State, however, is an outrageous 10-0 ATS in home games after three straight games committing 14 or less turnovers over the past two seasons. Both SG Wesley Matthews (Achilles) and SF Dorell Wright (Hand) are out for the season for Portland and Golden State enters this game completely healthy.
The Blazers will be looking to keep up their excellent play with a win in Golden State Thursday. PF LaMarcus Aldridge (23.4 PPG, 10.3 RPG) had 24 points and 13 boards in a win over Minnesota last game. He has a major size advantage over the Warriors’ power forwards and had 26 points and 13 boards the last time he faced the team. He should be able to post a similar line in this one.
PG Damian Lillard (21.1 PPG, 6.2 APG, 4.6 RPG, 1.2 SPG) is averaging 20.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG and 5.0 APG in two meetings with the Warriors this season, but he is shooting just 33.3% from the field in those contests. He must take better shots and hold his own in his matchup with Stephen Curry.
SF Nicolas Batum (9.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.8 APG) had just five points the last time he faced Golden State. He did, however, have 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals in 29 minutes of action versus Minnesota last game. He looked excellent in that game and must bring the same energy against the Warriors on Thursday.
SG C.J. McCollum (6.4 PPG) continues to play extremely well in increased minutes for this team. Over the past five games, McCollum is averaging 15.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 1.0 SPG in 25.0 MPG. He is a very good outside shooter (40% 3PT) and will need to stay on the court with this team struggling to get scoring on the perimeter often.
The Warriors have lost two straight games and will look to get things back on track with a win over the Blazers. PG Stephen Curry (23.6 PPG, 7.7 APG, 4.3 RPG, 2.0 SPG) is averaging 24.5 PPG, 7.5 APG and 5.0 RPG over the past two contests and now faces a Blazers team that he has torched this season. In two meetings with Portland, Curry is averaging 27.0 PPG and 8.0 APG. He’ll need to outplay Damian Lillard once again in this one.
SG Klay Thompson (21.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.1 SPG) is really struggling over the past two games, averaging just 6.5 PPG on 5-for-21 shooting from the field. He is, however, averaging 22.5 PPG in two meetings with Portland this season.
PF Draymond Green (11.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.3 BPG) had 24 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal against New Orleans last game. He’ll need to play some solid defense on Aldridge in this game.
C Andrew Bogut (6.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.7 BPG) will also need to be on his game defensively in this one. He had eight points, eight rebounds and an incredible nine blocks in 28 minutes against the Pelicans. It will be his job to protect the rim in this game and he could see some time guarding Aldridge if Draymond Green struggles.
Sportsbook.ag Line: Chicago -1.0, Total: 191.5
The Heat continue to fight for a spot in the postseason when they face the Bulls in Miami Thursday.
Chicago faced the Magic in Orlando on Wednesday and lost 105-103 as a 7-point road favorite. The Bulls have lost three of their past four games and have covered in just one of those four contests as well. They’ve turned the ball over 15+ times in three of their past four games and must be more careful with the ball moving forward.
The Heat have not been much better though, beating the Hornets 105-100 as 6.5-point home favorites to end a four-game SU losing streak. They have still failed to cover in a single game in their past five outings.
These teams have met twice this season and the home team has lost both SU and ATS in each game. Over the past three seasons, the Heat are 9-6 SU and 8-7 ATS when facing the Bulls. They are also 5-3 SU and 4-4 ATS when hosting the Bulls in that time.
The Bulls are 25-10 ATS when revenging a loss of 10 points or more versus an opponent over the past two seasons. Miami, meanwhile, is 17-6 ATS after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games over the past three seasons.
PG Derrick Rose (Rest) is questionable for this game after playing versus Orlando on Wednesday and the Heat are without PG Shabazz Napier (Hip), PF Chris Bosh (Blood Clot) and PF Josh McRoberts (Knee) for the season.
Chicago went into Orlando on Wednesday and the team was unable to pick up a road victory. PG Derrick Rose (18.2 PPG, 5.0 APG) was the story of the game as he returned from knee surgery to score nine points in 19 minutes of action. Rose did turn the ball over four times and must shake off the rust if he is back on the court Thursday. He’s going to need to get his game back or this team doesn’t stand much of a chance in the playoffs.
SG Jimmy Butler (20.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.8 SPG) played well in the loss Wednesday, scoring 19 points (6-for-10 FG, 3-for-4 3PT) on some very efficient shooting. He also had six dimes, five rebounds and two steals in 37 minutes of action. He’ll need to do a solid job of defending Dwyane Wade in this game.
PF Pau Gasol (18.5 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.9 BPG) has struggled against the Heat this season, averaging just 11.0 PPG on 34.5% shooting in their two meetings. He must do better in this one and should have no trouble doing that, as the Heat are very thin at the power forward spot.
C Joakim Noah (7.4 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.1 BPG) has to protect the rim in this game. Hassan Whiteside is a force on both ends of the floor and Noah must keep up with him, despite playing on a knee that isn’t 100%.
The Heat are still fighting for their playoff lives and are in a must-win situation against the Bulls on Thursday. There is not a lot of time left in the season and every game is important from here on out.
SG Dwyane Wade (21.5 PPG, 4.8 APG, 3.5 RPG, 1.2 SPG) struggled in a victory over the Hornets Tuesday, scoring 19 points (6-for-17 FG) on some inefficient shooting and also turning the ball over seven times. He’ll need to be sharp with the ball on Thursday, but it could be tough going against Jimmy Butler.
PG Goran Dragic (16.3 PPG, 4.5 APG, 3.5 RPG, 1.0 SPG) had his best game in a Heat uniform on Tuesday, finishing with 28 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals in 35 minutes of action. Derrick Rose will either be out of this game or playing at less than 100%, so Dragic will need to be aggressive going to the basket.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
SF Luol Deng (14.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG) was also on his game against Charlotte, finishing with 21 points and six boards in 41 minutes of action. Deng has been inconsistent this season, but he must find his game against Chicago with this team fighting for a spot in the playoffs.
C Hassan Whiteside (11.2 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.5 BPG) had 14 points, 13 rebounds and 12 blocks in his only meeting with the Bulls this season. If he can play anything near as good as he did in that game then the Heat should like their chances in this one.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
