Warriors vs Nets Odds, Spread and Picks – December 22

• The 2020-21 NBA season kicks off on Tuesday, with the Brooklyn Nets welcoming the Golden State Warriors to the Barclays Center
• Brooklyn looked outstanding in preseason thanks to their dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, while the Warriors also showed promise with victories over the Nuggets and Kings
• Get the full odds, preview, and best bet for Tuesday’s contest below

Just over two months after the 2020 Finals wrapped up, another NBA campaign is upon us. The Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets will clash in the first game of the season on Tuesday, with tip-off coming at 7 PM EST.

While both of these teams had a different feel last season with the absences of Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Kyrie Irving, the Nets dominated the Warriors in their lone meeting in February, beating them 129-88.

Caris LeVert led the way for Brooklyn, dropping 23 points.

By no surprise, the Nets are favored by around seven points at most books in Tuesday’s meeting with the Warriors.

Warriors vs Nets Odds

Odds taken Dec. 20th at FanDuel

Can Warriors Return to Postseason Contenders?

It was a complete 180 for Steve Kerr’s team last year compared to previous campaigns. The Warriors had the worst record in the NBA at 15-50, due to the lengthy vacancies of Steph Curry and Draymond Green, while Klay Thompson was still recovering from ACL surgery.

Unfortunately, Thompson will miss the entire season once again after tearing his Achilles in the offseason, but Golden State will have Curry and Green back in the mix.

There is hope this team can return to the postseason with most of their core back intact. Steph dropped 29 in back to back contests against the Kings to round out the preseason, looking like his smooth shooting self.

Draymond is doubtful for the opener against the Nets due to a muscle issue, but there’s no doubting the impact he has on both ends of the court. Andrew Wiggins, who played the remaining 12 games of the season after a trade from Minnesota in ’19-20, should be a solid backcourt partner for Curry after posting 21.8 points per game last season.

The second overall pick in last month’s draft, James Wiseman, could be available for his Warriors debut on Tuesday after dealing with some COVID-19 issues in training camp.  The 7-foot-1 big man is an enticing prospect who will see his fair share of minutes this season for Golden State. He’s extremely athletic for his size and possesses the type of physicality to make an immediate impact at the NBA level.

Brooklyn Has High Expectations

With the return of KD and Kyrie Irving, the Nets instantly became a household name to watch this season.

During the preseason, they certainly didn’t disappoint. Durant, who hasn’t played in a year and a half, looked outstanding in two appearances, dropping 25 in just 27 minutes in a big win over the Celtics on Friday while showing no signs of weakness. His versatility on the offensive end was on full display, driving to the hoop and finishing with authority on numerous occasions.

Irving has also looked sharp, forming an electric partnership with KD. They both look very healthy and ready to go. After playing just 20 games last season due to injuries, the former Celtics star will play a key part in Brooklyn’s success this season.

However, with two proven superstars, it could be a slight learning curve for first-time coach Steve Nash. Irving, especially, carries a big personality and there may be some bumps in the road as Brooklyn seeks to compete with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks for the Eastern Conference title.

This team still made the playoffs without both of these stars. Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Joe Harris can all flat out play. Add these players in with Durant and Irving and you simply have one of the scariest teams in the league.

Best Bet

This will surely be an entertaining game at the Barclays Center. Golden State looked impressive in the preseason and do have the ability to pull out a win here, especially if Curry gets hot. On the other hand, Durant and Irving are two of the best scorers in the association. I do believe they will both drop 20+ points, with the Nets meeting the spread and collecting their first victory.

Pick: Brooklyn Nets -7 (-110)