Category Archives: NBA

A look at the NBA’s complicated, but necessary, rules for Orlando

In a little more than a month, unless something drastically changes between now and then, the NBA will be able to finish out its 2019-20 season. 22 teams are preparing to travel to Orlando, FL to compete in games held at Disney World to determine who will be the season champs. Most players have already started getting ready to make the trip, while others still believe the league should scrap its plans completely. Option B isn’t even on the table, and support for completing the season has been overwhelmingly positive. As the NBA starts to make final preparations to head to Orlando, it has presented a virtual novel of rules, policies and regulations that everyone involved in the games will have to follow if they want the season to end in a slam dunk.

 The NBA distributed a 100-page document to teams and players yesterday, breaking down how it will handle coronavirus testing, who will be exempt from making the trip to Orlando and what happens if a player decides he doesn’t want to risk possible exposure. Players now have one week to review the document and inform the league, no later than June 24, of their intent to play or stay home. If they decide to participate, the new NBA Campus at Disney will be their home until after the completion of the games.

According to ESPN, which had gotten its hands on the document, “The league and union have agreed that any player who chooses not to play in the restarted season will have his compensation reduced by 1/92.6th for each game missed, up to a cap of 14 games. That calculation comes from the formula used if the league were to enact force majeure on the players. It also says that there won’t be further pay reductions if a player chooses not to play.”

Those players, staff and others who decide to participate will have to sign a form acknowledging that they will abide by all protocols and rules. Anyone found violating the guidelines will be punished, with violators facing anything from a fine to a complete ban from the games. A hotline will be created to allow individuals to make anonymous complaints against anyone breaking the rules.

Kyrie Irving tells the NBA to ‘give up everything’

Injured Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has urged fellow players to boycott the July restart of the NBA in Florida. Some of the biggest names in the NBA, including Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Donovan Mitchell were vocal opponents of the league’s July 21 restart plan.

Irving, the Players Association Vice-President, was against the idea of the proposed restart in the current climate of unrest in the U.S. He highlighted the need for the players to make a public stand for social reform in the U.S.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Irving’s statement: “I’m willing to give up everything I have for social reform.”

Kyrie Irving on players call Friday, per sources: “I’m willing to give up everything I have (for social reform).”

Kyrie Irving tells the NBA to ‘give up everything’

Injured Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has urged fellow players to boycott the July restart of the NBA in Florida. Some of the biggest names in the NBA, including Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Donovan Mitchell were vocal opponents of the league’s July 21 restart plan.

Irving, the Players Association Vice-President, was against the idea of the proposed restart in the current climate of unrest in the U.S. He highlighted the need for the players to make a public stand for social reform in the U.S.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Irving’s statement: “I’m willing to give up everything I have for social reform.”

Kyrie Irving on players call Friday, per sources: “I’m willing to give up everything I have (for social reform).”

NBA, NHL teams back in uniform as they prepare for July restart

The NFL doesn’t anticipate any delays coming ahead of the regular-season kickoff this September, which is good news for football fans as they will have essentially not been forced into withdrawal due to a season suspension. Fans of other sports haven’t been as lucky, though, as the coronavirus pandemic brought NBA, NHL and MLB action, among others, to a grinding halt in March. While MLB owners and players are still locked in a staring contest, waiting to see who will blink first, other leagues have taken the high road and are ready to get their action going once again. The NBA and the NHL have announced that they expect to be able to hold contests starting in July, and players of both organizations are now back in uniform getting warmed up.

This past Monday, NHL teams were given the green light to open their facilities to players so they could begin working out. Additionally, several NBA teams have unlocked their doors, as well, allowing players to get on the courts in voluntary exercise and training programs. Between the two leagues, there is a mixture of responses to the restart, with some teams ready to embrace their sport, while others are either treading lightly or not restarting at all.

The NHL would love to see everyone back on the ice ahead of the planned season restart next month. However, it isn’t possible across the board due to ongoing policies that have been implemented to keep COVID-19 from making a rebound. For example, the Vancouver Canucks are extremely shorthanded, as many players are currently out of the country. To get back into Canada, anyone arriving has to be ready to undergo a two-week quarantine, so these players won’t be able to put their jerseys back on until the month starts to close.

That is going to make things a little more difficult for certain hockey players as the league rolls into July. According to the current plan, team training and workout camps are expected to get going on July 10, with 24 teams making their way to two cities in order to play a modified season ahead of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Three months in isolation and only a couple of weeks to prepare will put some teams at a disadvantage in the competitions.

NBA championship odds: League plans its restart

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

The NBA will resume its season at Disney World in Orlando on July 31 with 22 of the league’s 30 teams: The 16 currently in the playoff field in the Eastern and Western Conference and an additional six within six games of the final postseason spot in each conference. All 22 teams will play eight regular-season games each to set up seeding for the playoffs, which will be the usual format.

There will be a “play-in tournament” if any No. 9 seed is within four games of the No. 8 following the conclusion of the regular season. In that scenario, the ninth seed would have to beat the No. 8 twice in a row to earn the conference’s final playoff spot, while the eighth seed would need just one victory.

There had been rumors that NBA commissioner Adam Silver wanted to do away with a conference-based postseason and simply seed teams 1-16 by their regular-season records. It would have been the ideal season to do that because every playoff team will be in the same location.

Gambling On ‘The Last Dance’ (For Content Anyway)…

Online SportsBook BetOnline tried their hand at producing original content this past week, something that a gambling site doesn’t usually do when dollars are not on the line, when they released “The Final Dance” featuring former Chicago Bulls Horace Grant, Ron Harper, Bill Cartwright, and Craig Hodges.

But how to drive some buzz and cut through the clutter around so much content about the show? Stir the pot. Hosted by NBC Chicago and ESPN Radio personality Dave Kaplan, sparks flew as the talent delved into their take on “The Last Dance”. Gasoline got thrown on the fire as Grant ripped Jordan multiple times, calling him a “snitch” and liar”. This sound bite took over social media and the discussion shows the following day. Contrived? Preplanned? Who knows. One thing is for sure, it found it’s way to the mainstream.

The overall consensus from the guests was that Scottie Pippen was portrayed unfairly, and they all respected Jerry Krause. Bill Cartwright didn’t think the Bulls would have won titles if Doug Collins continued to be the coach. Who knows? No one. The point is that the SportsBook  needed an edge, and by asking some of the right quotations with the right talent, they found it. 

The entire and unedited 47 minute video roundtable interview, produced on the Socialive video platform, can be viewed here.

Disney World Orlando may become temporary sports world

Disney World in Orlando, FL might soon find Mickey Mouse and Goofy temporarily replaced by the likes of Clutch the Bear and Pierre the Pelican. The NBA is desperately trying to figure out how to complete the season that was called off in March due to the coronavirus, and the popular theme park is seen as a possible option to host all remaining games. There are still a lot of issues that have to be worked out before anything can happen but, as the country looks to rebound from the global pandemic, sports will help the recovery process on multiple levels. 

The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Sam Amick seem to feel that Walt Disney World Resort is the most likely spot for the pro basketball league to hold its games. Las Vegas has also been considered, and isn’t out of the running, but the plethora of accommodations at Disney are proving to be a stronger enticement. The subject is apparently taking a serious tone, as Yahoo reports that Disney has already begun to prep its hotel spaces ahead of a possible incursion of towering basketball players. 

Among the first issues to iron out, after it is determined whether the season can even continue, is what games will be played. About 75% of the hoops action had been completed when the coronavirus came in, and the league will have to determine, along with players, whether to play the remaining 25% of the regular season, or move directly into the playoffs. As with any sensitive subject, the organization is polarized on how to proceed. 

On one hand, there are players like Chris Paul and LeBron James who support the idea of completing the season, no matter when or where. Provided the adequate health protocols can be guaranteed, they’ll be more than happy to suit up to find a season champ. On the other hand, there are players like Shaquille O’Neal, who believes the best solution at this point is to just scrap the rest of the year and put it in the books as a write-off. It would be an unprecedented move, but these are unprecedented times. 

Spalding out, Wilson in as official NBA basketball provider

The sports world is already taking a huge financial hit because of the coronavirus and the stoppage of athletic competitions that is now in its second month. Billions of dollars are reportedly going to be lost because of the global pandemic, and anyone operating in the industry would definitely prefer to hang onto every dime they can. Unfortunately for Spalding Sports Worldwide Inc., a major manufacturer of sporting equipment for leagues around the world, it now has a huge void to fill. The NBA has, through a mutual agreement with the company, brought to an end its agreement on the supply of official league basketballs. Coming off the bench to make a return to the game is long-time rival Wilson.

Spalding, which was formed by Albert Goodwin Spalding, the inventor of basketball, and the NBA have been working together for the past 30 years when the company took over from Wilson in 1983. The decision to terminate the agreement is said to have been mutual, and Wilson will take over at the beginning of the 2021 season.

A press release issued by the NBA added, “The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Wilson Sporting Goods Co. announced a multiyear global partnership today that will make Wilson the official game ball of the NBA, Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League (BAL).

“The partnership will tip off at different times by league. The NBA Wilson game ball will first be used during the league’s 75th anniversary season in 2021-22. The other debuts will be during the 2022 WNBA season, 2021-22 NBA G League season, 2021 NBA 2K League season and the inaugural BAL season.

Kevin Durant out for NBA season, when and if it returns

In Game 5 of the NBA Finals last season, Kevin Durant, playing for the Golden State Warriors at the time, suddenly went limp on the court. The two-time MVP had ruptured his Achilles tendon, an injury that would sideline him for the 2019-20 season. Already expected to be traded away from the Warriors, the injury may have played into where he finally ended up, and the Brooklyn Nets may have gotten the steal of a lifetime. However, the 6’10” forward isn’t yet ready for game time and, even if the NBA picks up where it left off after suspending the season because of the coronavirus, Durant won’t be suiting up.

The initial idea was for Durant to finish his physical therapy and recuperation and be able to join the Nets sometime during the regular season. When the coronavirus hit, it was seen as a bonus for the star, as it would give him more time to recover. However, Brooklyn has a lot of money riding on Durant, and wants to make sure he’s going to be available for the long haul, not just a few games.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN confirms that Durant is out this season, no matter what. He asserts on his Woj Pod podcast, “Kevin Durant’s not coming back to the Nets this year. That’s not happening… They’re not playing him.”

When the Warriors were in the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, the team expected the championship to be a slam dunk because of Durant. He soared through the first four games and, in Game 5, picked up 11 points in just the first 12 minutes of play. It was then, though, that he suddenly went limp, clutching his right leg. The diagnosis was grim, and he went under the knife two days later to try to repair the tendon.

NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes hacker’s target

The NBA’s Giannis Antetokounmpo is an opponent’s worst nightmare. At 6’11”, the Milwaukee Bucks power forward has become one of the best players in the league since his entry in 2013, allowing him to collect a laundry list of accolades – 2019 MVP, four-time NBA All-Star, NBA All-Defensive Team, and much more. He is also the first hoops star to complete a regular season in the top 20 rankings of all five statistical categories, including total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. Antetokounmpo is now playing defense of a different sort, though, as some strange comments began to be posted by his Twitter account. It didn’t take long to figure out that his account had been hacked, and the damage apparently goes much further than the social media platform.

A series of obscene tweets began appearing on Antetokounmpo’s Twitter account yesterday, some of which attacked other basketball players, such as Stephen Curry and the late Kobe Bryant. Others were more innocuous, such as a tweet that he was on his way to the Golden State Warriors, but were still troublesome. Should the Warriors actually pick him up, which is within the realm of possibility, the result would be an NBA powerhouse led by the Greek national and Curry. It would be the type of move that would have other NBA teams cringing and suddenly creating entirely new playbooks.

Almost as soon as the wayward tweets began to appear, anyone who knows the player would have realized that the comments weren’t coming from him. Still, his brother, Kostas Antetokounmpo of the LA Lakers’ G-League team, was quick to jump in, responding to each tweet with a message of his own to let everyone know that the posts were fake.

The MVP’s girlfriend, Mariah Riddlesprigger, also stepped in to clarify the situation, explaining in a tweet of her own, “Giannis’ twitter, phone, email and bank accounts were hacked! He genuinely apologizes for everything that was tweeted and he will be back as soon as possible! The things that were said by this hacker were extremely inappropriate and disgusting!”

NBA 2K League odds: Basketballs’ year to take over esports

The NBA 2K League is entering it’s third season this year, and it may be the most important year the league will ever know. With the regular NBA season still on ice, and esports getting the biggest spotlight it might see for a long time, the start of the 2K league on May 5 will likely see its biggest audience ever, and Bodog has odds on which team will win it all.

The league consists of 23 teams, each composed of five individual players who will compete remotely. Games will be broadcast at 7:00 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with four matchups each night, airing on Twitch and Youtube.

Each match-up of the regular season is a best of three series, with the winner taking the match for the season standings. The matchups for the first week of games have recently been published, with links to watch, although the league notes that they will show whichever game is most exciting at any given time.

“We are thrilled to officially tip off the 2020 NBA 2K League season remotely and hope the excitement of NBA 2K League competition provides both new and returning fans with a fun way to stay connected and engage with our league during these unprecedented times,” said NBA 2K League Managing Director Brendan Donohue.  “Our players have been quarantining with their teammates as they prepare for the season and will now have the opportunity to compete against one another and show they are the best players in the world.”

PlaySugarHouse.com and BetRivers.com Announce April Madness With Free-To-Play Bracket For NBA’s Horse Challenge

In the absence of regular season games, the NBA is staging a HORSE competition between current and former NBA stars, as well as a couple of WNBA stars. The NBA’s Horse Challenge is set-up as a single-elimination bracket where Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young will face off against former NBA Champion Chauncey Billups. The winner of that match-up will face the winner of the battle between former WNBA star from the Indiana Fever, Tamika Catchings, vs. Utah Jazz’s Mike Conley Jr. On the other side of the bracket, current Chicago Bull, Zach LaVine, will play against former Boston Celtics great, Paul Pierce, and current Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star, Chris Paul, is facing WNBA Chicago Sky star, Allie Quigley.

PlaySugarHouse.com in NJ and PA and BetRivers.com in PA are offering all their players a free to play bracket with a $1000 pool on each site for the winners. Players can make their picks starting Saturday morning, April 11, until 7 P.M. Sunday evening April 12th. It works much like a March Madness bracket but with only 8 participants. Players will earn a point for each correct pick in the quarterfinal round, 2 points for each correct pick in the semifinal round and 3 points for picking the correct winner. The winners of the bracket will receive a share of $1000 bonus money.

“We are happy to offer our NBA bettors an alternative while the season is suspended,” said Mattias Stetz, C.O.O of Rush Street Interactive, which operates PlaySugarHouse.com and BetRivers.com. “The NBA has been very creative with this HORSE Challenge and we think our bracket will add some additional excitement for our bettors.”

Quarterfinals will be aired on ESPN on Sunday April 12 between 7 and 9pm ET. The semifinals and Championship game will be aired on ESPN (and streamed on the ESPN app) on Thursday April 16 at 9pm ET.

NBA players said to be gearing up for HORSE competition

Yes, it’s finally come to this. The coronavirus pandemic has forced virtually all sports activity to come to an unexpected halt across the globe, and leagues are desperate to get back in the game. Players miss the competition, the crowds and the challenges that have driven them to reach the level of athletic participation they enjoy, and are now going into withdrawal. Something, almost anything, would be better than nothing, and the NBA is reportedly ready to give players an alternative that might just fit within the social distancing parameters established by health officials. Going back to their roots on the neighborhood playground, professional, million-dollar basketball players might soon be competing in a game of HORSE.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first brought the possibility to light, saying on Twitter, “Sources: The NBA and ESPN plan to televise a HORSE competition is nearing completion and among those expected to participate include Chris Paul, Trae Young and Zach LaVine. Competition will also include a couple of WNBA players and recent NBA alumni.”

HORSE is a type of basketball contest most commonly found on playgrounds with kids who are just getting into the game, or who aren’t ready for competitive basketball, and is essentially the first experience most children have with hoops. It is also a game found regularly on courts by other generations, with players looking to win by developing trick shots that their opponents can’t repeat.

For those not familiar with the game, its premise is simple. Take a shot, preferably a unique or difficult one, and, if you make it, your opponent has to replicate it exactly. If he or she doesn’t make the basket, the reward is a letter, starting with H and continuing with each missed shot until HORSE is spelled. Once that happens, the player who completed the word is eliminated.

Bucks vs. Lakers favored on NBA finals odds

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

The NBA’s regular season was set to conclude next Wednesday, April 15. Of course, the coronavirus forced the league to shut down on the night of March 11. Will the league be able to complete the regular season? That seems very unlikely as teams generally have around 18 games remaining. Some cities may not “reopen” until late summer.

More likely, the NBA will skip right to the postseason if that’s even possible. Again, the thought of having 16 cities hosting games (eight playoff teams in each conference) is likely a pipedream. What has been floated is a postseason tournament in one location – most likely Las Vegas and without any fans in attendance.

That way, the NBA could somewhat keep the players self-quarantined all in one spot. Basketball bettors and the TV networks would take any hoops action at this point, even if the playoff games are played in rather non-descript gyms or even makeshift ballrooms in those empty Vegas resorts. For what it’s worth, executives at Fox Sports recently told advertising executives that they believed sports as a whole could return by late June or early July, and that’s early enough for the NBA to hold some sort of postseason.

Player-led NBA 2K20 tournament starts today

Basketball fans should be getting ready for the NBA Finals. The NBA regular season would have been coming to a close right about now if it hadn’t been for the coronavirus, and hoops fans are undoubtedly feeling like a huge void exists in their life. Fortunately, there is a glimmer of hope, as the league believes it can get going again in May or June and, in the meantime, there’s always NBA 2K20. The NBA-based basketball video game has become a popular eSports alternative (eSports action, in general, is on the rise, as well), and this weekend will see a competition that has drawn in 16 NBA players, including Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks and others. Fans can catch all the action on ESPN.

The NBA 2K20 Player Tournament begins tonight at 7 PM Eastern Time (ET), and will be available on ESPN or ESPN2, depending on the schedule, and all the action can be found on ESPN3 as video-on-demand offerings. Getting things started will be a half-hour preshow to get fans pumped up, and it will be broadcast on ESPN. Then, the first hour of the program will continue on the channel before switching over to ESPN2 until 11:30 PM ET.

ESPN2 will pick up the action again on Sunday, airing the tournament live from 12-4 PM ET. Next Tuesday, the quarterfinals will be held from 7-11 PM ET, continuing on ESPN2, before the games switch back to ESPN for the finals on Saturday, April 11. The times for the finals have not yet been decided.

Besides Durant and Young, the lineup includes: Hassan Whiteside of the Portland Trail Blazers, Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, Andre Drummond of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls, Montrezl Harrell of the LA Clippers, Domantas Sabonas of the Indiana Pacers, Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns, DeMarcus Cousins (currently looking for a new home after being waived by the LA Lakers this past February), Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets, Rui Hachimura of the Washington Wizards, Patrick Beverly of the LA Clippers, Harrison Barnes of the Sacramento Kings and Derrick Jones Jr. of the Miami Heat.

The NBA may have a contingency plan to resume basketball games

Drastic times call for drastic measures, and it’s already understood that the NBA as we knew it is not going to be able to play out as it normally would. This isn’t surprising, nor should it be cause for concern – the coronavirus has disrupted everything, and it is impossible to apply standard solutions to resolve any issue. Changes are going to have to be made as industries begin the rebuilding process, and the NBA is reportedly working on a plan that would allow it to, in some fashion, salvage the remainder of the 2019-20 season and hold the NBA Finals.

There had been speculation that the league might be able to resume sometime late in April or possibly in May. A May return might be possible if COVID-19 can be brought under control, but a June relaunch is more optimistic. However, even if games were to startup that month, they won’t be the same.

What could follow, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, is a completely modified league structure that would facilitate the completion of the season without forcing it to run too deep into the final months of the year. He points out that the NBA could take its cue from what is currently seen with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and its attempts at continuing the game amid the coronavirus.

The CBA stopped its games in January and hoped to return to the basketball courts in the middle of February. That goal was then pushed out to the beginning of April, then the middle of April and, finally the end of the month of the beginning of May. It desperately wants to get the action going as quickly as possible, and is now working on an alternative.

The NBA could bring back limited hoops as early as late next month

The NBA started it all. The league would have been happy to allow games to continue while the coronavirus battle was being fought elsewhere, but, when Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus earlier this month, it started a chain of events that would lead to all major sports organizations canceling their activities. There’s little doubt that leagues are desperate to get things running again, as they stand to lose more than $12 billion combined, and fans would like to have something to see other than news coverage on COVID-19, as well. Fortunately, if things go well, the wish may be granted sooner than expected.

The NBA is closely monitoring what information is being distributed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and would like nothing more than to see the agency give the all-clear. This is most likely not going to happen anytime soon, though, especially as some states are reporting an increase – not a decrease – in suspected coronavirus cases. Still, the league is exploring alternatives and would not be opposed to seeing some limited hoops action later next month, but no one should expect fans to be allowed to attend.

The issue is bigger than just the NBA and its desire to put players back on the court, though. Ultimately, neither team owners nor league commissioner Adam Silver can make the final decision. Some jurisdictions across the country have implemented restrictions that limit any type of gathering, in some cases, of ten or more people. This automatically disqualifies any sporting event from being held in that jurisdiction.

At some point, sports activity will pick up again and, according to several sources, May is a more optimistic goal. Realistically, though, regular action that includes basketball fans being able to watch games in person most likely won’t start until June, at the earliest. A more depression notion exists that doesn’t see games getting underway until August or September, but there’s little chance things will have to be delayed so drastically.

NBA Suspends Season, March Madness bans fans, Sportsbooks react

The coronavirus has reached the sports world, and it’s not messing around. On the same day the NCAA announced March Madness would be played to empty arenas, an NBA player tested positive for Covid-19, effectively putting the NBA season, and a large chunk of sports betting, on hold.

March Madness

The NCAA has advised, across all of the sports that it governs, that sporting events should not be open to the public. As a result, March Madness will not be played in front of fans, with attendance restricted to essential staff members and family.

“This decision is in the best interest of public health, including that of coaches, administrators, fans and, most importantly, our student-athletes,” said NCAA President Mark Emmert in a statement. “We recognize the opportunity to compete in an NCAA national championship is an experience of a lifetime for the students and their families.”

NBA Thursday odds: Bucks battle Celtics

Thursday is usually one of the best nights of the week in the NBA because TNT has a national doubleheader and the league tries to give its TV partner marquee matchups in those slots. After all, TNT is shelling out billions of dollars. However, TNT is also part of the NCAA Tournament television package so it will not have the NBA doubleheader for the first two weeks of the Big Dance. Frankly, college basketball will overshadow the NBA overall for the next three weeks.

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

This Thursday, the TNT opener is a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, with the opening line off the board as of Wednesday night due to the uncertain status of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. He has missed the past two games with a minor knee injury. The Bucks are locks to finish with the Eastern Conference’s best record (and probably the NBA’s best). Boston is battling Toronto for the No. 2 seed but falling back of late. As long as the Celtics don’t fall to No. 4, they would avoid Milwaukee until the East Finals.

In the 2019 postseason, the Celtics won the first game of the conference semifinals in Milwaukee but then lost the next four. These teams have split two meetings thus far this regular season, each winning at home. The Bucks are 4-2 ATS in the past six in the series.

NBA Thursday odds: Warriors, Clippers underdogs

For the second Thursday in a row the NBA schedule is just four games and the nightcap of the TNT doubleheader features the horrible Golden State Warriors at home in what looks like a huge mismatch.

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

Last week, the Dubs were drubbed 116-86 in that slot by the Los Angeles Lakers even though LeBron James sat out for Los Angeles. This Thursday at 10:30pm ET the Warriors host the Toronto Raptors in an NBA Finals rematch. The last time the Dinos visited Golden State was Game 6 of the 2019 Finals, but at Oracle Arena in Oakland – the Warriors now play at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

Toronto won that game 114-110 to clinch its first-ever NBA title. It would be the last game that Kawhi Leonard would play for the Raptors as he left in free agency. Warriors All-Star guard Klay Thompson tore his ACL in it, which will sideline him all this season. The Raptors probably will miss Oracle as they were 4-0 there last season including the playoffs. Toronto is -10.5 this time and 6-1 ATS in its past seven games against Western Conference opponents.