• Golden State Warriors vs. Charlotte Hornets
• Friday, March 29 at 7 p.m. ET
• Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina
It’s hard to believe, but the NBA regular season is almost at its completion date. Soon enough, everyone will be shifting their focus to the postseason. Obviously, there will be a lot of attention on the Golden State Warriors. While the Western Conference powerhouse hasn’t been able to impress throughout the year, they’re always a threat. With that said, the Warriors are favored to top the Hornets in a weekend clash.
That’s right, come Friday night, Golden State will head to Charlotte to take on the Hornets and a lot of people think they’ll be able to post a convincing win. The Hornets have been a monster disappointment this year, as they’re 17-54 on the season. Seriously? Who in the heck thought that Charlotte, a team loaded with young talent, would be 37 games under .500 at this point of the season?
There’s no denying that it’s been a shock, but the fact of the matter here is that the Hornets have been one of the worst teams in the league in 2023-24. The same can’t be said for the Warriors. Although they’ve had their fair share of struggles, Golden State is 37-34 on the year and they’ll likely be in the play-in tournament for the postseason. If that’s the case, it will be on Steph Curry and others to help get this team onto the first round.
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Warriors hold -110 NBA betting odds for this one despite being the visiting team. On the other side of things, the Hornets, the home side, have +125 odds to post a victory. As much as we’d like to think Charlotte is going to keep this one close, we like Golden State to make a needed statement. We’re going with the Warriors as our pick.
28 points for 1️⃣1️⃣@verizon || Reliable Moments pic.twitter.com/DrDHBvKSDr
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 27, 2024
The over should hit between the Warriors and Hornets in this one
Taking a look at the two offenses, the over should hit between the Warriors and Hornets in this one. Looking at the Warriors, while their star players are no longer youngsters, they still know how to put the ball between the hoop. Curry is lights out shooting the ball. His production has dipped a bit this season, but when he catches fire, he has the potential to score 30 points in a showdown. What will we be able to expect from him in Charlotte?
Let’s also not forget about Klay Thompson. Of all the Golden State veterans, Thompson has faced the most scrutiny this year for his level of play. However, in a big-time win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night, Thompson led all GS scores with 28 points. Thompson caught fire and he reminded everyone of how great he can be with the ball in his hands. Fans are still smiling from what they saw out of the Washington State product.
Klay Thompson tonight:
28 Points
5 Rebounds
2 Assists
55% FG
6 3PM pic.twitter.com/e6CjJeWfea— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 27, 2024
“I just felt like we needed a little more spacing on the floor to start the game,” head coach Steve Kerr said of Thompson making his return to the starting lineup in the win over the Heat. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s permanent. I just felt like tonight, that was important.”
Thompson has been on the bench to start games of late, but his 28-point showing against Miami should give Kerr and Co. a lot to think about. Against the Hornets, it’s unknown if Thompson will start or not, but he’ll be ready to make an impact. Per the oddsmakers, the over/under has been set at 220 points, with -110 NBA betting odds for both. We don’t think this is going to be a defensive battle, which is why we’re going with the over as our pick in this one.
The Warriors don’t have promising NBA Finals odds
Usually, whenever it’s time to discuss the postseason, you’d think Golden State would be a top contender. However, the Warriors don’t have promising NBA Finals odds, which is definitely disappointing. In the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets, who won it all last year, are considered the favorites to win the conference and compete for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics have been downright sensational this year. Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Boston has been virtually unstoppable this campaign and they actually have the best record in the NBA as a whole. We could see them winning it all. So, where does that leave the Warriors? Per the good folks over in Las Vegas, the Warriors hold +4500 NBA Finals betting odds.
If this was three years ago, you’d think a team made up of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green would be a top dog, but that’s simply not the case anymore. Father time has caught up to this team, but they still have what it takes to make some noise in the postseason. It will be interesting to see how everything goes for Golden State, but their odds to win the title should not instill any confidence in fans who are following them closely. Who knows, they could surprise us, though.
