The Golden State Warriors play host to the Brooklyn Nets on Valentine’s Day. Which team will have a hearty W in this matchup of two teams with exciting offfenses?
Catch this game live on Sunday, February 14, at 9:30, Manila time
HOME TEAM: Golden State Warriors (14-12, 9-5 at home)
Projected Starting Five
- PG: Stephen Curry
- SG: Kelly Oubre Jr.
- SF: Andrew Wiggins
- SF: Juan Toscano-Anderson
- PF: Draymond Green
The Warriors are finding their rhythm of late, as they have just recorded consecutive wins over the San Antonio Spurs and the Orlando Magic last Wednesday and Friday. In their 111-105 win over Orlando, the Warriors got another terrific offensive performance from Stephen Curry.
The two-time NBA MVP dropped 40 points to go with eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals in 37 minutes. Curry has elevated his play of late, as he is averaging 37.8 points on 56.8 FG% and 50.6 3FG%. Considering that Brooklyn’s defense this season has the resistance of a broken turnstile, expect Curry to explode yet again.
The Nets are 28th in the NBA with 117.5 points allowed per game and 30th with 43.6 field goals surrendered per contest. When the Warriors lost to Brooklyn on opening night on the road, 125-99, the Nets still had Jarrett Allen, a reliable rim protector and rebounder.
Now, the Nets will be parading a washed DeAndre Jordan and practically no legitimate center behind him on the depth chart.
The Warriors are 6-4 against the spread in their last 10 home games.
ROAD TEAM: Brooklyn Nets (15-12, 4-7 on the road)
Projected Starting Five
- PG: Kyrie Irving
- SG: James Harden
- SF: Joe Harris
- PF: Kevin Durant
- C: DeAndre Jordan
Kevin Durant is set to return to action after missing multiple games due to health and safety protocols, and that’s terrific news for the Nets, who finally snapped a three-game losing skid by beating the Indiana Pacers at home last Thursday, 104-94.
Nets head coach Steve Nash also implied that he will not have Durant on any minutes restriction, so the former NBA MVP can go all out against the Warriors. The Nets averaged just 107.7 points on 45.6 percent shooting from the field over the last three games which Durant missed, but with him back on the floor, Brooklyn’s offense should return to its high-flying ways.
On the season, the Nets are second in the NBA with 120.4 points per game and No. 1 with a shooting efficiency of 1.213 points per possession.
Durant had 22 points back in Brooklyn’s win over Golden State in December, while Kyrie Irving led the team with 26 points in that game.
The total has hit the over in seven of Brooklyn’s last 10 games.
PREDICTIONS:
The Warriors and the Nets engage in a high-scoring game, with Brooklyn coming out on top, 125-121.
