This week in the NBA: The Warriors not so Golden
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Odds and previews of the NBA action
There’s never a quiet week in the NBA and last week was no different.
Whether it be questions around Golden State longevity at the top, player-power or the on-floor action, it’s delivering week on week.
So we dive into all the big talking points and pick out what you may have missed on and off the court.
Winners
Houston Rockets
After an indifferent start to the season, the Rockets have shot up into play-off contention.
The upturn in form has come at the same time the team have parted ways with Carmelo Anthony.
MVP-holder James Harden has hit 40, 22, 27 and 34 points on the way to four wins on the bounce.
Chris Paul has also played a big part in the team establishing a positive win record. Paul also bought rookie team-mate Gary Clark a new car for his birthday this week.
They’re 11/2 to win the Western Conference. All appears rosy at the Rockets.
Anthony Davis
New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis gave us nothing but net this week. The 25-year-old bagged two-consecutive 40+ point scores.
That helped the Pelicans to three wins in four games. But his recent numbers have only got people talking about his future.
He can only do so much to shoot his side into the play-off argument. It’s now time for the Pelicans to show their hand and match their superstar’s ambitions.
A special mention must be reserved for Kemba Walker. The Charlotte Hornets point guard fired a huge 60 points despite losing to Jimmy Butler’s new side the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 2x NBA All-Star is just 0.1 off points-per-game leader LeBron James in Offensive Leaders so far this year.
Losers
Golden State Warriors
It’s been a bad week for the three-time reigning NBA champions. They’ve lost three games on the spin now and are going through the roughest patch of their ‘dynasty era’.
The losses have been compounded by a rift in the camp between Draymond Green and Kevin Durant.
Questions have been asked about the longevity of NBA’s ‘Galacticos’.
It could be as simple as getting Steph Curry back on the floor. But the Dubs are losing heavy right now and need to re-discover the unity their success is built upon.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors stopped a three-game losing-streak against the Chicago Bulls yesterday.
But they find a place on the losers list after falling from a 12-1 to a 13-4 record since last Tuesday.
It was the clash with Boston Celtics which highlighted that the Raptors are still not the finished product.
They may have stars such as Kawhi Leonard but no-one quite like Kyrie Irving.
They may yet go on another winning-run, but have to find another gear to make waves in the play-offs.
Big Talking Point
What next for Carmelo Anthony? It was Jimmy Butler last week and now Anthony’s future is all the rage.
Signed to the Rockets, he’s lasted just ten games in a Houston jersey. The team’s record with and without is damning. Rockets without Anthony have won three and lost just once.
The forward has lost four of his six games when on court.
His future may lie away from a team chasing for the championship.
At Rockets and formerly Oklahoma City Thunder his reputation often means he becomes a scapegoat for their losses.
The future for Anthony could be the Lakers. A team that have big aspirations but somewhere he doesn’t have the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Upcoming games
Pick of the bunch from Tuesday 20th November
Boston Celtics @ Charlotte Hornets – Celtics to win -2.5 points 20/23
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Detroit Pistons – Under 211.5 points at Evens
Phoenix Suns @ Philadelphia 76ers – 76ers to win -11.5 10/11
New Orleans Pelicans @ San Antonio Spurs – Pelicans to 4/11
Denver Nuggets @ Milwaukee Bucks – Bucks to win -5.5 10/11
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All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
