Portland Trail Blazers vs. Golden State Warriors Betting Preview, Matchup Stats

The Portland Trail Blazers will try to improve their playoff positioning and attempt to hand the Golden State Warriors their first three-game losing streak of the year when the two teams meet Thursday night.

The Warriors have already clinched the best record and top seed in the Western Conference, and they have failed to cover the spread at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark two of the previous three times when following a two-game skid.

While Golden State has nothing to play for in its last four games, Portland is still looking to catch the Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets for the third or second seed in the West with four games left on its schedule. The Trail Blazers have won seven of their past nine games straight-up, going 6-3 against the spread, since suffering through a season-high five-game losing streak both SU and ATS.

The Trail Blazers, who played host to the Minnesota Timberwolves in an easy win on Wednesday night, have clinched the Northwest Division title and can finish no worse than fourth in the conference as a division champion. The team has been involved in somewhat low-scoring games lately with the under cashing in three of their last four outings.

The Warriors will close out the regular season by playing their final four games at home after losing on the road to the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans. Golden State had its worst loss of the season Sunday at San Antonio, falling 107-92 as a 4.5-point underdog on the NBA betting lines at the sportsbooks.

The Warriors followed that up with a 103-100 setback at New Orleans on Tuesday as a 4.5-point favorite. They have failed to cover the spread in three of their past four games after covering eight in a row as part of a 12-game winning streak.

Golden State has won each of the two previous meetings with Portland this season both SU and ATS, according to the OddsShark NBA Database, along with four of the past five dating back to last year.

However, three of the last four games between the two teams have been decided by five points or less, with the over cashing for bettors in three of the past four meetings and seven of the previous 10.