PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* Saturday SMACKDOWN >> AMAZING 21-7 Last 7 Days!
(NBA) New Orleans vs. Golden State,
Total: 224.50 | -110.00 Over
Result: Win
Total: 224.50 | -110.00 Over
Result: Win
The set-up: Anthony Davis entered the 2018 postseason without a playoff win on his resume but his New Orleans Pelicans (West's No. 6 seed) were dominant in sweeping the third-seeded Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs. Davis averaged 33 points on 57.6 percent shooting and 11.8 rebounds in the four-game sweep of Portland. He and his teammates now know they have a much bigger challenge up next, facing the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors (three straight Finals appearances with two titles). Golden State ran out to a 3-0 lead against the Leonard-less Spurs (also 3- ATS), before losing Game 4 and then taking Game 5 to close out the series in a non-cover. These teams met in the 2015 postseason (AD's only other playoff experience), with the Warriors sweeping the Pelicans but going just 1-3 ATS.
New Orleans: Davis is the unquestioned leader and star of this team, but guards Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo plus power forward Nikola Mirotic are keys to an offense that is clicking on all cylinders. After a 97-95 win in Game 1, the Pelicans averaged 120.3 PPG in taking the final three games against Portland. Holiday averaged 27.8-4.0-6.5, Rondo 11.2-7.5-13.2 and Mirotic 18.2 & 9.5. "The unselfishness," Rondo told the team's website, when asked which area the Pelicans have shown the most growth this season. "I think we're rooting for the next man beside us. Early in the season, I couldn't really say that for this team. But now, it seems like guys are happy for one another, genuinely. Regardless of whether guys are playing bad or playing great, when we come in that locker room, if we got a ‘W', everyone has the same mindset, the same joy for each other."
Golden State: The Warriors hope to have Stephen Curry back in the lineup Saturday night. The former two-time MVP practiced with his teammates Thursday and Friday but noted afterward a final decision on whether he plays for the first time since March 23 rests in the hands of Golden State's medical staff after the Game 1 warmups (Curry suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee in a collision with teammate JaVale McGee in a game against Atlanta). Curry sat out the last 15 games of the regular season and all five vs. the Spurs. However, Kevin Durant averaged 28.2 points in the first round to help cover some of Curry's lost scoring while shooting guard Klay Thompson averaged 22.6 points and shot 51.6 percent from three-point range. Draymond Green was his usual disruptive self, averaging 11.4-11.2-8.0 (he had 17 points and 19 rebounds in Game 5).
The pick: The Warriors took three of four meetings with the Pelicans in the regular season but I'm staying away from either team here. No one can be sure what Curry's status will be but expect Golden State to brings its "D," which is so often looked because the team is the NBA's highest scoring and best-shooting club. VERY high total in this contest makes the Under a 10* play.
New Orleans: Davis is the unquestioned leader and star of this team, but guards Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo plus power forward Nikola Mirotic are keys to an offense that is clicking on all cylinders. After a 97-95 win in Game 1, the Pelicans averaged 120.3 PPG in taking the final three games against Portland. Holiday averaged 27.8-4.0-6.5, Rondo 11.2-7.5-13.2 and Mirotic 18.2 & 9.5. "The unselfishness," Rondo told the team's website, when asked which area the Pelicans have shown the most growth this season. "I think we're rooting for the next man beside us. Early in the season, I couldn't really say that for this team. But now, it seems like guys are happy for one another, genuinely. Regardless of whether guys are playing bad or playing great, when we come in that locker room, if we got a ‘W', everyone has the same mindset, the same joy for each other."
Golden State: The Warriors hope to have Stephen Curry back in the lineup Saturday night. The former two-time MVP practiced with his teammates Thursday and Friday but noted afterward a final decision on whether he plays for the first time since March 23 rests in the hands of Golden State's medical staff after the Game 1 warmups (Curry suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee in a collision with teammate JaVale McGee in a game against Atlanta). Curry sat out the last 15 games of the regular season and all five vs. the Spurs. However, Kevin Durant averaged 28.2 points in the first round to help cover some of Curry's lost scoring while shooting guard Klay Thompson averaged 22.6 points and shot 51.6 percent from three-point range. Draymond Green was his usual disruptive self, averaging 11.4-11.2-8.0 (he had 17 points and 19 rebounds in Game 5).
The pick: The Warriors took three of four meetings with the Pelicans in the regular season but I'm staying away from either team here. No one can be sure what Curry's status will be but expect Golden State to brings its "D," which is so often looked because the team is the NBA's highest scoring and best-shooting club. VERY high total in this contest makes the Under a 10* play.
