The Golden State Warriors struggled through the first couple of months of the season dealing with injuries and egos, but it’s fair to say that the machine has been recalibrated and is back on track. Steve Kerr’s charges are 7-1 SU and 5-3 ATS in their past eight games, scoring a ton of points and building an average +20 point differential along the way. The Warriors are a 7-point favorite at home tonight against the Pelicans.
- The total has gone OVER in six of Golden State’s last seven games.
- New Orleans is 1-16 SU in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Golden State.
- The total has gone OVER in 11 of New Orleans’ last 16 games when playing Golden State.
Pelicans vs Warriors Game Center
Two of the Top Three Scoring Offenses Go Head-To-Head
The Warriors lead the NBA in offense at 118 points per game on a 48.9 field-goal percentage, while the Pelicans have the No. 3 scoring offense at 117 points per game on a 48.1 FG percentage. That would lead us to believe that offense won’t be an issue at Oracle Arena tonight.
In fact, both teams are scoring above their already impressive season averages this month and both are having their best offensive months of the season. That’s a contributing factor to the total Sportsbook at 241. Golden State is scoring an unbelievable 131.7 points per game while going 5-1 in 2019. The Pelicans have scored an average of 122.5 points per game in their six contests since the new year.
Not surprisingly, those are the top two scoring offenses in the Association this month.
Warriors Are on an OVER Run
Coinciding with the Warriors’ offensive outburst is their 6-1 O/U record in their past seven games. The average combined score in those seven games is a whopping 245! This offensive explosion is highlighted by a 51-point first quarter last night against Denver.
For the season, however, oddsmakers have been really good at setting totals for both of these teams. New Orleans enters this game with a 23-21 O/U record (5-5 in its last 10) while Golden State is 24-20 (6-4 in its last 10).
Golden State Won the First Meeting This Season
Tonight marks the second game of the season between these Western Conference clubs. On Halloween night, the Warriors came away with a 131-121 victory on home court.
Steph Curry went off for 37 that night on the strength of 7-for-11 three-point shooting. Overall, the Warriors hit 16 of 32 from beyond the arc, and that could be an area of advantage tonight as New Orleans has the No. 26 three-point defense.
My Pick for Tonight
I’m backing Golden State -7 in this game. It seems to me that the Warriors have figured out their issues from earlier in the season and are now back in dominance mode. I’m tempted to play the OVER as well, but totals in the 240s are always ambitious to hit.
