Warriors vs Cavaliers Picks and Predictions: Darius Conquers GSW Backcourt

The Golden State Warriors let what would've been their most impressive win of the season slip away in a hurry when the Boston Celtics mounted a comeback and won the game in overtime last night. Tonight won't get easier, as they'll be in Cleveland without rest.

This one won't be easy for Cleveland, and they're hopeful Donovan Mitchell will be back, as the Warriors will be pressing for a victory after last night's collapse.

Find out your best options with our free NBA betting picks and predictions for the Warriors vs. Cavaliers on Friday, January 20.

Warriors vs Cavaliers best odds

Warriors vs Cavaliers picks and predictions

On the second night of a back-to-back for the Warriors, it's always hard to tell who will suit up, which could make for an ideal situation for Cleveland’s Darius Garland. Either Steph Curry or Klay Thompson will likely sit this one out, which would insert Jordan Poole into the starting lineup. That will make scoring easier for Garland. 

Garland is coming off a strong performance against the Memphis Grizzlies, scoring 24 points. The 22-year-old guard has been great of late, averaging 23.4 points per game in his last 10. The Warriors will need to be on their A-game defensively if they want to win, but it won’t be easy as Garland is quick and is a very good outside shooter. 

The electric point guard will likely get a heavy dose of Thompson or Poole tonight, which is an ideal matchup. Mitchell, who is still questionable to play tonight, is coming off a groin injury that could slow down his lateral movement and I wouldn't expect him to garner most of the touches in his first game back. 

This one comes down to the Warriors being unable to close the door on the Celtics last night. It caused their older veterans to play more minutes on their legs in an overtime game. Now, they’ll have to chase around Garland on the perimeter. The Warriors will be tired, and Garland will look to make them pay. 

My best bet: Darius Garland Over 23.5 points (-106)

Warriors vs Cavaliers spread analysis

The Warriors could be a better ATS team on the road for the season. In 21 attempts, Golden State has only managed to squeeze out six ATS victories when on the road. Why should tonight be any different, as they'll have no rest and play a good Cleveland Cavaliers team?

The Cavaliers have one of the few defenses in the NBA that can match up with the Warriors' offense. They have athletes at all five positions, allowing them to easily fight through screens or successfully switch onto opposing teams' ball handlers. Still ranking among the Top 3 in defensive rating, look for Cleveland to apply a lot of pressure to the Warriors' backcourt and force them into turnovers and bad shots.

The Warriors came out victorious in the first matchup between these two teams in November, and narrowly covered the spread in that game by two points. Curry scored 41 points in that outing and barely managed to get a win. They'll be much harder-pressed to succeed in this game, as Cleveland is 14-7-1 ATS as the home team.

The Warriors are still trying to figure out a lot on the road, and this is not an ideal opponent to face on the second night of a back-to-back. I like Cleveland against the spread.

Warriors vs Cavaliers Over/Under analysis

The Over/Under is currently set at 222.5. The Under is 5-0 in Golden State's last five games against a team with a straight-up winning record. We still need to find out if Donovan Mitchell will suit up tonight or if Kerr will rest any of his veterans, which makes everything more difficult to assess.

The Warriors are a predictable 4-5 in games on no rest. Their core of Curry, Draymond Green, and Thompson, all over 30 now, aren't the best equipped to win games when depleted. The pressure of playing on no rest is even heightened in this scenario as they're facing Cleveland's suffocating defense a day after playing the East's top team, the Boston Celtics.

I like the Under. Cleveland only surrenders 107.1 points per game, the best mark in the entire NBA. The Warriors will be fatigued going into this one after blowing a lead and playing an overtime game last night. 

Warriors vs Cavaliers betting trend to know

Cavaliers are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight-up loss. Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Cavaliers.

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