The Golden State Warriors are the defending champions, and have won titles in three of the past four seasons, yet, all of a sudden, they find themselves on the brink of elimination — quite early in a series, even.
Not only that, the Warriors must now win a tough game on the road in Canada, after losing consecutive games at Oracle Arena, at Scotiabank Arena in Game 5 on Monday night.
But the champs can never be counted out. They once blew a 3-1 lead in the Finals to LeBron James and the Cavaliers, so maybe it’s their time to return the favor. And, most importantly, Kevin Durant is set to return, after previously missing 33 games with a calf injury. That’s why we’re picking them to win in tonight’s game.
Warriors PK’em (-107)
As soon as the news of Durant playing broke on Monday afternoon, we lined up to bet the Warriors, for a large wager. There are just too many angles in play that favor Golden State. The emotional lift that Durant brings them is tremendous, and the physical lift is just as big. Durant is known for his scoring, but his defense cannot be overlooked, either. He’s a very long, athletic player, who can give opposing teams fits by guarding them closely, and also rebounding.
And, most importantly, the emotional lift he brings to the table figures to be huge. His teammates will not only get more open looks due to the floor spacing, but they’ll also have the emotional benefit of knowing that they have the greatest basketball player on the planet on their side.
The Warriors aren’t losing three in a row in the playoffs — not tonight, and not ever.
