Being able to put five all-stars on the floor at the same time isn’t uncommon in an NBA game unless you’re referring to just one team. The Golden State Warriors have finally unveiled the most star-studded starting lineup in NBA history and will look to unleash their wrath on the Washington Wizards tonight. The Warriors are riding an eight-game win streak with an average win margin of 18.5 points per game and have won eight of the last 10 games in this matchup.
Golden State opened as a 9-point favorite (since moved to 10.5) with a total of 235.
- The Warriors are 8-0 SU and 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games.
- The Wizards are 9-5 SU in 14 games without John Wall this season.
- The OVER has hit in 5 of the Warriors’ last 6 games (avg. combined score: 245.8).
Warriors vs Wizards Game Center
The Warriors are a Living, Breathing NBA Cheat Code
We all knew this was coming. When the signing of center DeMarcus Cousins was announced by the Warriors in the offseason for pennies on the dollar, NBA fans across the board just shrugged and felt we should just start etching Golden State onto the Larry O’Brien Trophy for 2019. The Warriors were already a juggernaut before Cousins made his debut last Friday and with motivation typically being cited in a critique of the champs, they seem to have an extra burst in their step.
In two games with Cousins, the Warriors beat the Clippers by 18 points and the Lakers by 19, and they are riding an eight-game win streak coming into this matchup with an average win margin of 18.5 points. Five of those wins were on the road and the beauty about the Warriors is that you never know whose night it’s going to be. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson seem to trade nights for which guy will drop 40 on an opposing squad, which has led them to have an insane +16.3-point differential in January.
I’m all-in on the Warriors to win and cover tonight because I think they’re motivated and are superior in every way to the Wizards. When they hosted the Wiz back in October, they crushed them by 22 points.
No John Wall? No Problem for the Wizards
Losing your best player typically is a death knell for an NBA franchise but the Wizards are actually playing better without him. The Wiz are 9-5 SU this season with Wall on the shelf and own a 15-8 SU and 14-9 ATS record in 23 home games during this campaign.
Bradley Beal is now the focal point of the offense and the shooting guard is living up to the position by averaging 29 points per game this month and shooting 40 percent from deep. But it’s the addition of swingman Trevor Ariza that has been the under-the-radar spark for their recent success. Ariza typically guards the opposing team’s best player on the perimeter and will be tasked with slowing down Kevin Durant, which is no easy task. Over the Wizards’ last five games, Ariza is scoring 18.4 points per game and has shot 14-for-39 from deep.
I want to believe that the Wizards can beat the Warriors outright as Washington has some impressive wins lately over the Thunder, Sixers and Bucks, but I think we can all agree that those teams can barely be mentioned in the same breath as Golden State. Don’t get sucked in, because the last time the Wizards were a double-digit dog at home, it was against the Warriors in February 2016 and they got beat by 13 points.
OVER Bettors Cashing in on Warriors Games
The total opened at 235 and with the Warriors involved, totals bettors should heavily consider the OVER. The OVER has hit in five of the Warriors’ last six games with an average combined score of 245.8. Golden State is averaging a ludicrous 131 points per game in January and has topped 140 points in three of its last six games. Factoring in that the OVER has hit in five of the Wizards’ last six games with two days off between games, I expect a scorefest in Washington tonight.
My Pick Is…
If you couldn’t tell already, I’m pretty high on the Warriors to cover the spread. They’re playing at an all-time peak right now and with the addition of DeMarcus Cousins, I expect them to roll almost any team by 20 points. I tend to hate using motivation as a factor for why a team will play well but Golden State seems to be extremely determined to crush teams for another title with Cousins now in the fold.
