Well, the season's first game is finally here for these two teams. The Warriors travel to Portland for their first game of the season. Both rosters have seen a fair amount of shakeups in the off-season, adding new faces and as a few left.
The Warriors had an up-and-down off-season. The biggest news for them was the departure of Klay Thompson. Thompson opted for a fresh start in Dallas next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving this season. This will be the first time Klay hasn’t been on the team since their historic run in the 2010s. Beyond losing Klay, the Warriors did have an impressive off-season. Adding Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and De’Anthony Melton, three solid veteran players who will help smooth out a young Warriors bench. Unfortunately, the Warriors couldn’t make the big splash they hoped for. Chasing Lauri Markkanen and Paul George in the off-season, neither landed on the Golden State. At the end of all this, Golden State still improved their roster and is looking for a comeback year, with Curry still looking as dangerous as ever!
Moving over to Portland, they have had a rough go of it the last couple of years. They were the worst team in the West last year and will likely finish in the same position this year. However, Portland could still be a fun watch. They are full of explosive young talent, adding big man Donovan Clingan through the draft. The 7’2 "center was the centerpiece of the championship UConn Huskies last year, as they went on to win their second championship with Clingan.
This Portland roster might be one of the most fun young teams in the league. They’ll also be one of the worst teams, as we don’t expect this young core to win many games. Even with multiple top-10 picks in the starting lineup, they’re still far from competing.
Either way, this game will be a blast with Hall of Fame talent and future stars in the making. You won’t want to miss this one or the excellent deals at DraftKings! Currently, Portland fans can earn up to $200 in bonus credits when they sign up to play at DraftKings. All you need to do is create an account, deposit $10, and then make a $5 bet. Then boom! You’ll see your account credited with $200! Just use our link below or our bonus code “BV20”.
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This game could be closer than people expect. The Blazers have made some exciting changes to their lineup, like the addition of Deni Avdija. If Portland starts the same lineup they did in their final preseason game, Anfernee Simons, Tourmani Camara, Deni Avdija, Jeremi Grant, and Deandre Ayton. In that case, they’ll have a significant size advantage over Golden State. This may slow down the Warrior's scoring ability significantly. However, we still believe the Warriors will win this one. They simply possess the better offensive talent. Portland doesn’t have the firepower to keep up with the Warriors in this matchup. Vegas agrees with the money line sitting at -230 for the Warriors.
We don’t see this Portland team keeping up in the scoring race, though we think they’ll slow the Warriors down. With the total points set at 221.5, we believe this game will finish well below that. Despite being at home, it may be challenging for Portland to hit the 100 mark in this one.
Camara is a sleeper on this Portland roster. After four years at Dayton and Georgia, he’s shown he has what it takes to be a strong defender in Portland. His ability to strip the ball and crowd passing lanes gives him a good chance to grab multiple steals. Grabbing eight steals in 4 preseason games, he’ll be a menace against this Warriors roster that loves to move the ball!
Brandin Podziemski was one of the Warriors' breakout players last year. Shooting nearly 39% from 3 his rookie year, the second-year player will likely find a more significant role this year. With the departure of Klay Thompson, he will probably inherit a considerable number of shots from the former starter.
Scoot Henderson’s entry into the NBA has not been smooth. He has struggled to adapt to the speed of the game and this Portland roster. However, he’s shown some improvement early in the preseason this year. One thing he should be more willing to do was stick back for the rebound. Even though he only averaged three rebounds a game last season, he’s already averaging 4 in the preseason. Currently sitting at plus money, this one is a lock!