Hoping For Better Results
The Golden State Warriors hope their second game with Chris Webber back in the lineup goes better than the first.
They’ll try to rebound from a disappointing loss when they close out a five-game homestand on Saturday night against the Sacramento Kings, one of Webber’s former teams.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made Golden State –7.5 point spread favorites (NBA Odds) for today’s game, the over/under has been set at 223.5 total points (Matchup). Our public betting information shows that 57% of bets for this game have been placed on Sacramento +7.5 (View NBA Bet Percentages).
The Warriors (29-20), who are tied with Houston for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot, failed to capitalize against injury-riddled Chicago and lost 114-108 on Thursday. The defeat – which came against only eight healthy Bulls players – dropped Golden State to 3-1 on its homestand, and spoiled Webber’s first game back since he forced a trade from Oakland after his tumultuous 1994 rookie season.
"It felt good to be out there and get that first foul," said Webber, who finished with four points in 12 minutes. "Not the result, but it felt good. Nervous is good. I think it was anxiousness more than being scared."
The Warriors signed Webber on Jan. 29 to give them another dimension with their up-tempo play, which produces 109.6 points per game to rank just behind Phoenix’s NBA-leading 109.7.
Stephen Jackson, who had 19 points Thursday, feels its just a matter of time before Webber starts to make an impact.
"When he was out there he played great," Jackson said. "He was just starting to get his rhythm and you know, once he does get his rhythm and we do get on the same page we are going to be a dangerous team."
Now, Webber will get a chance to do that against Sacramento (23-25), the team he spent six-plus seasons with from 1998-2004.
Golden State hopes Monta Ellis can build on an impressive performance against the Bulls, in which he made 11 of 12 shots for 25 points. He’s averaging 24.4 points in his last seven games, and a career-best 17.9 this season.
He had a team-high 22 points in a 103-96 win at Sacramento on Nov. 28. The Warriors have taken six of the last eight home games against the Kings.
Sacramento will be playing the first of four consecutive road games, part of a stretch in which it will play nine of 10 away from Arco Arena. The Kings are 7-15 on the road this season.
But Sacramento won for the fifth time in six games, 117-104 over Northwest Division-leading Utah on Friday, snapping the Jazz’s 10-game win streak.
"This was a big one for us, we needed it," said the Kings’ Ron Artest.
Kevin Martin scored 27 points against the Jazz after enduring his worst shooting performance of the season on Wednesday, going 1-for-10 for five points in a 105-92 loss to Seattle. He leads the Kings with a career-high 23.8 points per game.
Martin has averaged 25.8 points in the last five games against the Warriors, including a 28-point performance on Nov. 28.
Artest had 21 points and nine rebounds in that contest. He scored 22 on Friday, is averaging 23.0 over the last five games.
By: Marc Young – theSpread.com – Email Us
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