The Warriors are on American national television a ton this season because they have been so good for the past handful of years, reaching five straight NBA Finals. Of course, the NBA schedule-makers and TV network officials had no way of knowing the Warriors were going to crash-and-burn this year into arguably the league’s worst team due to injuries. Not much can be done about it at this point, and Thursday’s game in Boston is the first game of the weekly TNT doubleheader in the USA.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

Golden State has won five of its past six trips to Boston, but again those Warriors teams were completely different. The Celtics go for the season sweep as they were 105-100 winners in San Francisco on Nov. 15. Jayson Tatum had 24 points, including the go-ahead dunk late in the fourth quarter, Jaylen Brown 22 and Kemba Walker 20.

Alec Burks led the Warriors with 20 off the bench. D’Angelo Russell had 12 before leaving with an injury. Willie Cauley-Stein had 10 points and eight rebounds but was recently traded to Dallas. The Warriors right now are Russell, Draymond Green and a bunch of anonymous guys until Steph Curry gets back from his hand injury in likely March.

The Celtics have covered four of the past six in the series.

Golden State Warriors

Golden State lost for the 14^th time in 15 games overall and ninth in a row on the road Tuesday, 115-104 in Philadelphia to start a five-game East Coast trip. Russell had 28 points and seven assists, and Green nine points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Marquese Chriss, a former lottery pick bust of the Suns, had 15 points and five rebounds. He has played well since taking over as the starting centre in a smallish lineup after the Cauley-Stein trade. Chriss is shooting 69.4 percent over the past five games, with many of his makes being dunks (all six vs. Philly). All you need to know about the 2019-20 Warriors is they lead the NBA in points (by far) scored by players on two-way contracts with the G-League. Golden State is 4-2 ATS in its past six overall.

Boston Celtics

Boston wrapped up a three-game trip with a 109-101 upset win in Miami on Tuesday; the Heat had been 21-2 at home. Gordon Hayward had 29 points and nine rebounds, and Brown 25 points. That’s 22 games with at least 20 points this season for Brown, who deserves All-Star consideration. He had 31 combined 20-point games entering this season. Walker, who will start the All-Star Game, had 16 points and eight assists. Tatum didn’t play due to a right groin strain, his third in a row on the bench. The Celtics don’t need him to win Thursday so more than likely he sits again. Centre Enes Kanter hasn’t played since Jan. 22 due to a hip injury. The Celtics are 5-2 ATS in their past seven.

Who Will Win Warriors vs. Celtics?

Injuries

Golden State

Marquese Chriss (PF)

day-to-day Knee - 11 / 03 / 20

Juan Toscano-Anderson (SF)

Out indefinitely Ankle - 10 / 03 / 20

Stephen Curry (PG)

day-to-day Flu - 07 / 03 / 20

Alen Smailagic (PF)

day-to-day Quadricep - 04 / 03 / 20

Kevon Looney (PF)

out for season Abdominal - 01 / 03 / 20

Alen Smailagic (PF)

Out indefinitely Quadricep - 01 / 03 / 20

Draymond Green (PF)

Out indefinitely Knee - 29 / 02 / 20

Ky Bowman (PG)

Prob Tues Ankle - 28 / 02 / 20

Jordan Poole (SG)

Prob Sun Ankle - 28 / 02 / 20

Andrew Wiggins (SF)

Prob Sat Back - 27 / 02 / 20

Boston

Romeo Langford (SG)

out for season Wrist - 17 / 09 / 20

Jaylen Brown (SG)

Prob Tues Groin - 12 / 09 / 20

Vincent Poirier (C)

Prob Tues Personal - 03 / 09 / 20

Robert Williams III (C)

Prob Thurs Tailbone - 03 / 09 / 20

Tremont Waters (PG)

Prob Mon Knee - 26 / 08 / 20

Javonte Green (SG)

Prob Sun Knee - 20 / 08 / 20

Jaylen Brown (SG)

Prob Wed Thigh - 18 / 08 / 20

Gordon Hayward (SF)

Ques Sat Ankle - 17 / 08 / 20

Vincent Poirier (C)

Prob Wed Groin - 16 / 08 / 20

Romeo Langford (SG)

Prob Mon Wrist - 13 / 08 / 20

Injuries

Golden State

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Marquese Chriss (PF)	day-to-day	Knee - 11 / 03 / 20	-	-	+ -
Chriss hurt his right knee, but he will likely be active once the league commences play.
Juan Toscano-Anderson (SF)	Out indefinitely	Ankle - 10 / 03 / 20	-	-	+ -
Toscano-Anderson sprained his left ankle, and there is no timetable for recovery.
Stephen Curry (PG)	day-to-day	Flu - 07 / 03 / 20	-	-	+ -
Curry has recovered from flu-like symptoms, and he is expected to return to action upon the leagues announcement of when it will start back up.
Alen Smailagic (PF)	day-to-day	Quadricep - 04 / 03 / 20	-	-	+ -
Smailagic is out with a right quadriceps contusion, and it is up in the air if he will return to the fold when the league announces that the hiatus is over.
Kevon Looney (PF)	out for season	Abdominal - 01 / 03 / 20	-	-	+ -
Looney is anticipated to be sidelined for the remainder of the season after having core muscle surgery.
Alen Smailagic (PF)	Out indefinitely	Quadricep - 01 / 03 / 20	-	-	+ -
Smailagic will miss an undetermined length of time with a right quadriceps contusion.
Draymond Green (PF)	Out indefinitely	Knee - 29 / 02 / 20	-	-	+ -
Green has been out with left knee soreness, and a timeline for his return has yet to be established.
Ky Bowman (PG)	Prob Tues	Ankle - 28 / 02 / 20	-	-	+ -
Bowman suffered a lateral right ankle sprain, but he is likely to return to the court Tuesday versus the Clippers.
Jordan Poole (SG)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 28 / 02 / 20	-	-	+ -
Poole sat out the last game with a right ankle sprain, but he is projected to play against the Wizards on Sunday.
Andrew Wiggins (SF)	Prob Sat	Back - 27 / 02 / 20	-	-	+ -
Wiggins was held out of the previous game with a thoracic spasm, but he is expected to bounce back in time for Saturday's matchup against the Suns.

Boston

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Romeo Langford (SG)	out for season	Wrist - 17 / 09 / 20	2-3	4-1	+ -
Langford will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery to fix the scapholunate ligament in his right wrist.
Jaylen Brown (SG)	Prob Tues	Groin - 12 / 09 / 20	3-4	5-2	+ -
Brown is hampered by a groin injury, but he is expected to be active for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final versus the Heat.
Vincent Poirier (C)	Prob Tues	Personal - 03 / 09 / 20	6-5	5-6	+ -
Poirier is away from the team for the birth of his child. He is likely to return against the Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference second round.
Robert Williams III (C)	Prob Thurs	Tailbone - 03 / 09 / 20	6-5	5-6	+ -
Williams III is anticipated to take on the Raptors in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference second round despite injuring his tailbone.
Tremont Waters (PG)	Prob Mon	Knee - 26 / 08 / 20	7-6	5-8	+ -
Waters has a left knee sprain, but he is likely to play in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference second round versus the Raptors.
Javonte Green (SG)	Prob Sun	Knee - 20 / 08 / 20	9-6	6-9	+ -
Green is recuperating from surgery to fix a small tear to the meniscus in his right knee, but he is likely to be ready for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals versus the Heat.
Jaylen Brown (SG)	Prob Wed	Thigh - 18 / 08 / 20	10-6	6-10	+ -
Brown is expected to suit up against the 76ers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round despite a right thigh contusion.
Gordon Hayward (SF)	Ques Sat	Ankle - 17 / 08 / 20	10-7	6-11	+ -
Hayward is sidelined with a Grade 3 right ankle sprain, and it is unclear if he will return to action against the Heat in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Vincent Poirier (C)	Prob Wed	Groin - 16 / 08 / 20	10-7	6-11	+ -
Porier is battling a left groin strain, but he is likely to play in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the 76ers.
Romeo Langford (SG)	Prob Mon	Wrist - 13 / 08 / 20	11-7	6-12	+ -
Langford is dealing with a sprained right wrist, but it is anticipated that he will take the court in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the 76ers.