The NBA returns from the All-Star break with a number of big match-ups on Thursday, among them a juicy Western Conference battle between the Golden State Warriors (27-26) and Los Angeles Lakers (30-26) in San Francisco.
Stephen Curry and LeBron James are set for a 22nd head-to-head regular-season meeting. Bookmaker BetOnline offers odds at -251 for Curry to score the most points among the two, while the odds are at +160 for James to outscore Curry.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 21st, 6:30 P.M. (EST)
The two teams clash in San Francisco, sitting ninth and 10th in the Western Conference standings. Both teams have struggled for consistency throughout the season but performed well entering the All-Star break and will expect to maintain the form as the chase for playoff berths continues – the Warriors are currently five games back from a top-six spot as the 10th seed.
Golden State has been the best team in the West in recent weeks, going 8-2 in its last 10 games, while the Lakers are riding a three-game winning streak and have won seven of their last 10 outings. Across the last 16 games, Darvin Ham’s team has collected 11 victories, including a memorable 145-144 double-overtime triumph against the Warriors at the Chase Center on Jan. 27.
In the last game, James stood out with a 36-point triple-double, which included 20 rebounds, while Curry produced one of his highest-scoring games of the season with a 46-point effort, hitting nine three-pointers. LeBron also grabbed an 11-10 lead versus Curry in the head-to-head regular-season clashes in January, although the Warriors star still boasts a better record with 27-23 if you include meetings in the playoffs and the play-in.
James continues to deal with a left ankle injury and skipped Wednesday’s practice, but he’s had a lot of off time during the All-Star break and should be eager to play on Thursday, with the team desperately trying to move up from the ninth spot in the Western Conference standings – the Lakers are 3.5 games behind New Orleans, which holds the final automatic playoff position.
Meanwhile, Jarred Vanderbilt, Cam Reddish, and Gabe Vincent will remain out for the Lakers on Thursday. Chris Paul will be Golden State’s only absentee as the veteran floor general continues to work his way back from a fractured hand. The Warriors initially struggled without Paul but have done well in recent times, with rookie Brandin Podziemski stepping up and even pushing Klay Thompson to the second unit.
