Remember the Warriors vs. Spurs playoff series last year? The young Warriors gave the veteran Spurs everything they could handle before finally bowing out to the eventual NBA runner-up. Golden State nearly took a 2-0 lead by winning both road games to start that series, but the Spurs stormed back late in Game 2 to even up the series at 1-1. It seemed like the Warriors wore down a bit late in the series, but you had to come away from that series impressed with Golden State.

Both teams are off to a fast start. The Warriors and Spurs come into this game with a 4-1 record on the year. In fact, both teams are 2-0 at home and 2-1 on the road so far in 2013. Golden State’s only loss this year was to the Clippers on the road, while the Spurs lone loss came at Portland. The Warriors are 3-1-1 ATS this year, while the Spurs are just 2-3 ATS.

Anytime these two teams get together, it’s a potential playoff preview. Both of these teams are expected to be right in the middle of the fight for the Western Conference title this season.

Warriors at Spurs Betting Story Lines

When the Warriors and Spurs get together, it feels like the new stars up against the grizzled veterans. The Warriors are that team that is very likely to be a contender for many years to come thanks to their youth and talent, while the Spurs are the veteran team that has proven to be extremely difficult to write off over the last few years.

Since about five years ago, writers have been saying the Spurs are done because they are too old. We need to remember that the Spurs were seconds away from beating the Heat in Miami during Game 6 of the NBA Finals last year. This San Antonio team still isn’t done, but they need to make the most of their opportunities at this point.

What about Golden State? Coach Mark Jackson recently said that the Warriors current backcourt is the best shooting backcourt in the history of the NBA. I’m going to let them have a little more success before I even discuss whether they are the best all-time, but there is no doubt that the Warriors backcourt can shoot it better than any other team in the NBA right now.

The bad news for the Warriors is the fact that they may be without Stephen Curry in this one. Curry tweaked his knee slightly last game, but he stayed in the game. He then hurt his ankle later in the game and left the floor. The team says it is left ankle sprain, and Curry is listed as day-to-day.

Harrison Barnes did make his season debut for the Warriors in their last game, and he knocked down 6-of-8 shots in just 13 minutes of playing time. Expect Barnes to be a much more important part of this team’s offense in the coming weeks. This is a guy who I believe is capable of becoming a star in the next couple years.

San Antonio was without Tim Duncan briefly earlier this year, but he is back and healthy now. The Spurs as a whole are very healthy at this point. One thing to keep an eye on moving forward is whether Manu Ginobili has anything left in the tank. The Spurs need him to be better than he was at the end of last year. If he isn’t able to pick up his level of play, San Antonio probably can’t win another NBA title.

Warriors at Spurs NBA Betting Odds and Key Trends  

BetOnline lists the Spurs as a 4.5-point favorite in this game. The posted total is set at 207 points. Golden State is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road games, but they are just 6-15 ATS in their last 21 games in San Antonio. The Spurs are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games following an ATS loss, and they failed to cover the spread in their home win against Phoenix on Wednesday night. The “under” is 4-1 in the last five meetings between these two teams.

Free NBA Picks: Warriors at Spurs Betting Predictions

The health of Curry is a major factor in this one. Golden State isn’t the same team without him on the floor. The Spurs will be well-rested for this game since they had Thursday off and were at home on Wednesday night as well. Both teams should be motivated for this one, but I think that home court advantage means a lot in this matchup.

In the end, I expect Curry to miss the game or at least not be himself with his ankle injury. The Spurs depth is unmatched in the Western Conference, and that depth should help them to a win and cover in this high-profile contest.

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