NBA Odds: Golden State Warriors a good bet as a road dog
By Phil Watson
It has not been a great year for the Golden State Warriors, who have the worst record in the NBA. But as a 6-point underdog at the struggling Atlanta Hawks?
With a light six-game NBA slate Monday night, you might find the best value in a matchup between two of the worst teams in the league.
The Golden State Warriors, at 4-17, enter play on Monday with the worst record in the NBA and have lost the first two games in a stretch of three games in four nights.
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The Warriors are on the road against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday and go into play as six-point underdogs, according to information provided courtesy of The Action Network.
The Hawks (4-16) have been awful of late, losing 10 in a row and 16 of their last 18 after opening the season with two straight wins. Atlanta comes home after losing Saturday night in Houston by a 158-111 count, surrendering an NBA season-high 60 points to James Harden in the process.
The Warriors enter the game having won nine straight games against Atlanta, dating back to the 2014-15 season, including four in a row at what is now called State Farm Arena. That recent run has allowed Golden State to take a 149-142 edge in the all-time series between the teams.
Against the spread this season, the Warriors are 10-10-1 and 6-6 on the road. Atlanta is 9-11 ATS, 5-4 at home.
Given how the Hawks have played of late, they probably shouldn’t be a six-point favorite over anyway … at least not until they figure out how to win a game.
TV: NBC Sports Bay Area, Fox Sports Southeast-Atlanta
Tickets: State Farm Arena, 7:30 p.m. Eastern
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday)
Golden State: Not submitted (on Sunday at Orlando, the Warriors did not have Stephen Curry (fractured left hand), Jacob Evans (strained left adductor), Damion Lee (two-way, G League), Kevon Looney (neuropathy), D’Angelo Russell (sprained right thumb), Alen Smailagic (G League) or Klay Thompson (left ACL rehabilitation)).
Atlanta: OUT–Charlie Brown (two-way, G League), John Collins (league suspension), Brandon Goodwin (two-way, G League), Kevin Huerter (strained left rotator cuff); QUESTIONABLE–Cam Reddish (sprained left wrist); PROBABLE–DeAndre’ Bembry (right hip contusion).
Here’s a look at the rest of Monday’s NBA action:
Phoenix Suns (minus 4) at Charlotte Hornets
TV: Fox Sports Arizona, Fox Sports Southeast-Charlotte
Tickets: Spectrum Center, 7 p.m. Eastern
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday)
Phoenix: OUT–Deandre Ayton (league suspension), Cheick Diallo (illness), Jared Harper (two-way, G League), Jalen Lecque (G League); QUESTIONABLE–Mikal Bridges (left quad contusion), Cameron Johnson (illness); PROBABLE–Aron Baynes (strained left calf), Ty Jerome (sprained right ankle).
Charlotte: OUT–Robert Franks (two-way, G League), Caleb Martin (G League), Cody Martin (G League), Jalen McDaniels (G League), Kobi Simmons (two-way, G League); DOUBTFUL–Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (strained left calf)
Notable: The Phoenix Suns (8-10) have lost three straight games to fall below .500 for the first time this season, while the Charlotte Hornets (8-13) come in off a 137-96 beatdown at Milwaukee on Saturday.
Charlotte is 5-1 against the Suns over the last three seasons, including winning the last five games in a row, and has won four straight at home. Phoenix still holds a 34-24 lead in the all-time series. Against the spread, the Suns are 10-8 overall and 4-2 on the road, while the Hornets are 10-10-1 overall and 5-4 at home.
Utah Jazz at Philadelphia 76ers (minus 5½)
TV: AT&T Sports Net-Rocky Mountain, NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA TV
Tickets: Wells Fargo Center, 7 p.m. Eastern
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday)
Utah: Not submitted (on Sunday at Toronto, the Jazz did not have Jarrell Brantley (two-way, G League), Juwan Morgan (G League), Miye Oni (G League) or Justin Wright-Foreman (two-way, G League)).
Philadelphia: OUT–Jonah Bolden (G League), Shake Milton (G League), Marial Shayok (two-way, G League); DOUBTFUL–Josh Richardson (right hamstring tightness); AVAILABLE–Zhaire Smith (recalled from G League).
Notable: The Utah Jazz (12-8) made a valiant comeback Sunday night and still got hammered at Toronto, 130-110, while the Philadelphia 76ers (14-6) enter with three straight wins, including a 119-116 victory at home over the Pacers on Saturday.
The Jazz are 3-4 against the Sixers since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, including losing the last two at Wells Fargo Center. Utah beat Philadelphia at Salt Lake City on Nov. 6, 106-104. This season, the Jazz are 8-12 against the spread, 4-7 on the road. The 76ers are 9-11 ATS, with a 4-5 mark at home.
Indiana Pacers (minus 10) at Memphis Grizzlies
TV: Fox Sports Indiana, Fox Sports Southeast-Memphis
Tickets: FedEx Forum, 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. local)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday)
Indiana: OUT–Brian Bowen (two-way, G League), Naz Mitrou-Long (two-way, G League), Victor Oladipo (right knee rehab), JaKarr Sampson (sore lower back), Edmond Sumner (fractured right hand).
Memphis: Not submitted (on Sunday at Minnesota, the Grizzlies did not have Kyle Anderson (sore right heel), Andre Iguodala (not with team), Josh Jackson (G League), John Konchar (two-way, G League), Ja Morant (sore back) or Jonas Valanciunas (illness)).
Notable: The Indiana Pacers (12-7) come in off a 119-116 loss at Philadelphia on Saturday, while the Memphis Grizzlies (6-13) surprised the Timberwolves at Minneapolis on Sunday 115-107.
Since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, the Pacers are 5-2 against the Grizzlies, including a 126-114 win at Indianapolis on Nov. 25. However, Indiana is 1-2 at Memphis over that span. The Pacers lead the all-time series 29-18. Indiana comes in 9-8-2 against the spread, including 4-4 on the road. Memphis is 8-11 against the spread and only 5-7 at home.
New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks (minus 16)
TV: MSG Network, Fox Sports Wisconsin
Tickets: Fiserv Forum, 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. local)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday)
New York: Not submitted (on Sunday against the Celtics, New York did not have Kadeem Allen (two-way, G League), Reggie Bullock (cervical disc herniation), Marcus Morris (cervical spasms), Elfrid Payton (strained right hamstring or Ivan Rabb (two-way, G League)).
Milwaukee: OUT–Thanasis Antetokounmpo (illness), Sterling Brown (sprained right AC joint), Frank Mason (two-way, G League), Cameron Reynolds (two-way, G League); DOUBTFUL–Brook Lopez (sore back).
Notable: This matchup is the very definition of two teams moving in opposite directions. The New York Knicks (4-16) have lost six in a row while the Milwaukee Bucks (17-3) have the longest winning streak in the NBA this season, having taken 11 straight. The Knicks lost to the Celtics on Sunday 113-104. Milwaukee comes in off a 137-96 blowout over the Hornets at home Saturday.
The Bucks are 9-2 against New York over the last three seasons as the teams enter their first meeting of 2019-20 and are 1-5 at home over that span, winning both games at Fiserv Forum last season. Milwaukee leads the all-time series 112-102. Against the spread, the Knicks are 10-10 overall and 5-4 on the road. The Bucks are 9-11 overall against the spread, 4-5 at home.
Chicago Bulls at Sacramento Kings (minus 5)
TV: NBC Sports Chicago+, NBC Sports California
Tickets: Golden 1 Center, 10 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. local)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday)
Chicago: OUT–Cristiano Felicio (fractured right wrist), Adam Mokoka (two-way, G League), Otto Porter (bone bruise in left foot); DOUBTFUL–Chandler Hutchison (sprained right shoulder); PROBABLE–Tomas Satoransky (left toe contusion).
Sacramento: OUT–Marvin Bagley III (fractured right thumb), De’Aaron Fox (sprained left ankle), Kyle Guy (two-way, G League), DaQuan Jeffries (two-way, G League); PROBABLE–Bogdan Bogdanovic (left hamstring tightness).
Notable: The Chicago Bulls (6-14) are wrapping up a three-game Western trip and have lost three in a row, including a 107-103 loss at Portland on Friday, while the Sacramento Kings (8-10) came back to beat the Nuggets in overtime on Saturday, 100-97.
Sacramento is 4-2 against the Bulls over the last three seasons and have won the last four meetings, going 2-1 at home over that period. Chicago lead the all-time series 81-79. The Bulls are 8-12 against the spread, 4-6 on the road; the Kings have ATS marks of 12-6 overall and 5-3 at home.