The red-hot Golden State Warriors (31-27) feature in the second of a back-to-back on Friday night as they cross the border to take on the Toronto Raptors (22-37) at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Having lost just two of their last 12 games, the Warriors are firmly on the charge for a spot in the postseason. Despite sitting in 10th-place in the Western Conference standings, Golden State are just three games behind the sixth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans.
They face a tricky matchup tonight, though, against a Raptors team that has won three of its last four. BetMGM has the Warriors listed as 3.5-point favorites (-110) with the game total currently set at O/U 238.5. Our full breakdown of the game is coming up before we share our best bet with you!
Last Time Out
San Francisco have managed to pick up back-to-back road wins this week, meaning they have now won five of their last six outings. They were able to bounce back from Sunday’s 119-103 home defeat to the Denver Nuggets with a 123-112 triumph over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, before securing a 110-99 win over the New York Knicks last night.
Boasting a record of 12-3 over their last 15, the Warriors are not only one of the hottest teams in the Western Conference, but the entire NBA. Two-time MVP Stephen Curry has been leading the charge and had himself a double-double against the Knicks, putting up 31 points and 11 rebounds.
Toronto will be turning their focus to next season as they sit in 12th-place in the Eastern Conference. However, they have been in good form of late, securing three successive victories after the All-Star Break against the Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers.
Nevertheless, they failed to extend that to four in their last matchup on Wednesday, losing 136-125 at home to the Dallas Mavericks. Still, they will be happy with the offensive displays from both Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett who put up 28 and 26 points respectively, whilst Scottie Barnes had a double-double (19 points and 11 rebounds).
Injuries & Team News
The visitors’ strength in depth has improved following the return of Chris Paul, and the veteran point guard has added 20 points across the two games he’s played since his return. Forward Andrew Wiggins will not be on the court tonight, however, as he continues to deal with personal issues. Gui Santos is also sidelined.
For the hosts, forward Chris Boucher remains day-to-day due to illness. Markquis Nowell is also unavailable, but Toronto’s starters should be healthy.
Head-to-Head
Golden State will be looking to exact revenge tonight following a 133-118 loss at home to the Raptors back in January. Barrett went off in the win for Toronto, recording a game-high 37 points.
However, the Warriors managed to pick up a 126-110 victory in their last visit to Scotiabank Arena back in December 2022. Toronto are 2-3 over their last five home clashes with Golden State.
Betting Trends & Stats
Offensively, Steve Kerr’s team have excelled, ranking sixth in the NBA for points per game (ppg) (119.1). However, they have slowed down slightly of late, averaging just 112.2 ppg over their past five games. Golden State have a below-average defense this season, allowing 117.4 ppg (12th-most in the league).
The Warriors will feel confident about putting up a high number of points against a Toronto team that has given up the ninth-most ppg in the NBA (117.8). They have allowed at least 120 points over their last three matchups, too, but are hot on offense, scoring at a rate of 124.8 ppg over their last five.
Golden State have performed superbly against the spread (ATS) this season and have the third-best record in the NBA (32-25-1). They have covered in a league-high 70.4% of all road games as well. Fatigue is a potential factor that could hinder the Warriors after playing last night, but they have an ATS record of 7-4-1 with no rest (fourth-best in the league).
Having failed to make the most of a rest advantage this season, the Raptors are just 6-9-1 ATS for this metric (seventh-worst in NBA) with a -3.4 point differential. They are also just 13-16-0 ATS on their own court and 5-8-0 as the home underdog.
Key Players
Ranking seventh across the league in ppg (27.6), Curry has been lighting it up once again for the Warriors this season. The 35-year-old continues to produce as he aims to lead his team to a third straight appearance in the playoffs. Shooting guard Klay Thompson has been finding his groove recently as well, averaging 19.3 ppg over his last four.
Barrett will be looking to emulate his 37-point game against the Warriors at the start of the year, and he has put up at least 24 points over his last two games too. Both Barnes (20.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists) and Quickley (17.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists) prove that Toronto can score from multiple areas.
Best Bet
After playing last night and in the midst of a four-game road trip, fatigue could be a limiting factor for the Warriors tonight. However, they have excellent momentum right now, and the return of CP3 is crucial.
Golden State has performed well with no rest this season, whilst the Raptors have failed to make the most out of a rest advantage. The Warriors have won their last seven straight on the road, also covering the spread in each. As a result, we’re backing them to cover again tonight.
Golden State Warriors -3.5 (-110 with BetMGM)
