Offense meets defense tonight when the Charlotte Bobcats take on the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, California. The highest scoring home team in the league meets the sixth best defense (based on points per game allowed) in this East versus West clash. The game is set to tip off at 10:30pm ET at the Oracle Arena.
NBA Picks: Charlotte Bobcats vs Golden State Warriors at SBGglobal.com have the contest listed as a pickem.
The Bobcats ended a three game losing streak on Wednesday night in Sacramento, beating the Kings 98-91. The win moved their overall record to 23-35 but it did not change their position in the Southeast division. They are still in fourth place and 19.5 games back of first place Orlando. However, they are just four games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Charlotte, which has held teams to an average of 94.4 points per game this year, limited the Kings to 39.7 percent from the field and 6-of-20 from three point range while they hit 52.9 percent of their own three point attempts. The road win, their first since beating the Lakers 117-110 on January 27th, was spurred by the frontcourt as Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw, and Emeka Okafor combined for 63 points and 22 rebounds.
Larry Brown's unit has not been strong away from Charlotte, winning just seven of their 27 road outings this season. The Bobcats average a league worst 91.6 points per game in road play. Despite their inability to score, they are a respectable 11-11 against Western Conference competition.
Golden State has had the opposite problem of Charlotte, they can put the ball in the basket plenty, but they cannot stop the other team from doing so as well. As a result, they average a league best 114.4 points per game at home, but give up a league worst 111.6 per contest. The lack of defense is the reason they are third in the Pacific division with a 20-37 record. And, while they are 10th in the Western Conference standings, they are 14 games back of the eighth place Dallas Mavericks.
The Warriors come into tonight's game having won four of their last six games, but they dropped their most recent tilt to the lowly Clippers. Los Angeles got the better of Golden State on Monday night at the STAPLES Center by a score of 118-105. Stephen Jackson scored 28 points for the Warriors, but it was not enough to overcome the Clippers three point barrage. LA, led by former Warrior Baron Davis, hit 51.1 percent from the field and 13-of-24 from beyond the arc.
Don Nelson's squad is 15-13 at home this year, but they have not fared well against Eastern Conference teams, going just 9-15 against them.
SBGglobal.com's NBA Picks: Charlotte Bobcats vs Golden State Warriors
Charlotte Bobcats Pick (-110), Over 206.5 (-110), -110 (Moneyline)
Golden State Warriors Pick (-110), Under 206.5 (-110), -110 (Moneyline)
