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(NBA) Utah vs. Golden State,
Point Spread: -8.00 | -110.00 Golden State (Home)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -8.00 | -110.00 Golden State (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The 49-31 Utah Jazz will be in Oakland tonight to take on the 66-14 Golden State Warriors. K.D. returned for the Warriors in Saturday's 123-101 home win over the Pelicans and played a team-high 31 minutes while scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The Warriors have now won 14 straight since their three-game losing streak (Mar. 8-11), going 11-2-1 ATS. Meanwhile, the Jazz are involved in one of the few races still to be decided with three days left in the regular season. The No. 4 seed in the Western Conference has yet to be determined, as the 49-1 Clippers are battling the Jazz for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Utah: The Jazz enter Monday with a record identical to the Clippers' but sit in the No. 5 spot due to its head-to-head tiebreaker disadvantage. Making things even more difficult is that Utah finishes the regular season against the top two teams in the West, Golden State and San Antonio. "We don't really care," Jazz point guard Shelvin Mack told the Salt Lake Tribune regarding the team's desire for home-court advantage. "We're not going to get the No. 1 overall seed. So at some point, we're going to have to win a game on the road." Word is that Utah is more concerned with being healthy heading into the playoffs and All-Star small forward Gordon Hayward (quadriceps), shooting guard Rodney Hood (rest) and power forward Derrick Favors (rest) all are candidates to sit on Monday.
Golden State: Durant made his return on Saturday and collected 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes. "It felt normal again," Durant told reporters. "I'm a basketball player. I love playing basketball. That's my favorite thing to do. So, to feel like I'm part of the team, to feel like I'm a part of this energy that we have, it feels great." Curry averaged 26.9 points and 7.8 assists with Durant out of the lineup, including a pair of 42-point performances in his last three games. Curry is expected back from a knee contusion on Monday, meaning Curry and Kevin Durant will take the floor together for the first time since Durant went down with a knee injury on Feb. 28
The pick: The Warriors no longer are playing for anything after locking up the top seed throughout the playoffs but they have two regular-season games to find the chemistry the team enjoyed prior to the injury to K.D. The Warriors have won seven straight at home over the Jazz, dating to April 2013. That streak includes four consecutive victories by 15 or more points, capped by a 104-74 spanking in December. Make Golden State an 8* play.
Utah: The Jazz enter Monday with a record identical to the Clippers' but sit in the No. 5 spot due to its head-to-head tiebreaker disadvantage. Making things even more difficult is that Utah finishes the regular season against the top two teams in the West, Golden State and San Antonio. "We don't really care," Jazz point guard Shelvin Mack told the Salt Lake Tribune regarding the team's desire for home-court advantage. "We're not going to get the No. 1 overall seed. So at some point, we're going to have to win a game on the road." Word is that Utah is more concerned with being healthy heading into the playoffs and All-Star small forward Gordon Hayward (quadriceps), shooting guard Rodney Hood (rest) and power forward Derrick Favors (rest) all are candidates to sit on Monday.
Golden State: Durant made his return on Saturday and collected 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes. "It felt normal again," Durant told reporters. "I'm a basketball player. I love playing basketball. That's my favorite thing to do. So, to feel like I'm part of the team, to feel like I'm a part of this energy that we have, it feels great." Curry averaged 26.9 points and 7.8 assists with Durant out of the lineup, including a pair of 42-point performances in his last three games. Curry is expected back from a knee contusion on Monday, meaning Curry and Kevin Durant will take the floor together for the first time since Durant went down with a knee injury on Feb. 28
The pick: The Warriors no longer are playing for anything after locking up the top seed throughout the playoffs but they have two regular-season games to find the chemistry the team enjoyed prior to the injury to K.D. The Warriors have won seven straight at home over the Jazz, dating to April 2013. That streak includes four consecutive victories by 15 or more points, capped by a 104-74 spanking in December. Make Golden State an 8* play.
