Golden State Warriors vs Brooklyn Nets 11/16/21: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Live Stream

Golden State Warriors vs. Brooklyn Nets Matchup Preview (11/16/21)

Two of the best teams face off in a matchup between top dogs in the Eastern and Western conferences. The Golden State Warriors (11-2) will take a cross-country flight to Brooklyn to take on a blazing Nets (10-4) team. Despite a rough start to the 2021-22 NBA season, Brooklyn has gotten red hot as of late, winning eight of its past nine games and playing surprisingly stifling defense. The Nets have figured everything out on both ends of the floor despite still not having Kyrie Irving available and have become the version of themselves that everyone was expecting at the beginning of the season. Meanwhile, Golden State has exceeded the expectations of even the most optimistic Warriors fans. The Warriors are 11-2 and are not that far from being 13-0, despite not having Klay Thompson or James Wiseman back from injury. Wiseman will be back in the lineup relatively soon, while it will still be a bit longer before Thompson comes back. Still, it is hard to imagine any team knocking off the Warriors when they have two key players return to the starting lineup.

Golden State can win if it can slow down Kevin Durant. The Warriors have the best offense in the NBA and can outscore virtually any team, but they will need their best defensive effort to slow down the best player in the world and a Brooklyn team hitting its stride.

The Nets can win with a stellar offensive outing, particularly from behind the arc. They rank first in the NBA in 3P% (three-point percentage), and a similar performance will make them incredibly tough to beat, especially since they have become a superb defensive team.

Golden State Warriors vs. Brooklyn Nets Betting Odds

The odds on this game have not been made available to the public as it is still not close enough to tip-off. Once sportsbooks drop the odds, and you can find the best odds in the table above.

Since the Warriors have been so spectacular to start the season, the Nets will probably be undervalued, despite winning eight of their past nine games. The result is Golden State likely being favored on the road by a few points. If Brooklyn is a home underdog, I like them at +3 or better.

TV Schedule

Date: 11/16/21
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Arena: Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY
Channel: TNT

Live Stream Golden State Warriors vs. Brooklyn Nets Free Online: Watch Every NBA Game

You can stream this game online for free. You can get a free 7-day trial and live stream NBA games from any device. Click the banner below and start watching.

Golden State Warriors Starting Lineup

PG: Steph Curry
SG: Jordan Poole
SF: Andrew Wiggins
PF: Draymond Green
C: Kevon Looney

Golden State Warriors Analysis

If you didn’t know any better, you might think you are watching the Warriors from the 2010s so far this season. The Warriors have been elite on offense, ranking first in points per game and eFG% (effective field goal percentage), second in offensive efficiency, and fifth in 3P% (three-point percentage); however, it is their defensive presence that has separated them from the rest of the teams. Golden State ranks in the top five in all defensive categories and does not even have elite perimeter defender Klay Thompson back from injury. Once Thompson and Wiseman are back, there is no ceiling on this Warriors team, especially if Steph Curry keeps playing at an MVP level as he has through the first 13 games.

Brooklyn Nets Starting Lineup

PG: James Harden
SG: Bruce Brown
SF: Joe Harris
PF: Kevin Durant
C: Blake Griffin

Brooklyn Nets Analysis

This game carries more weight than many think. Kevin Durant and Steph Curry are probably the top two frontrunners for MVP, and a massive game for either of them can create an early separation. Regardless, the Brooklyn Nets have been quite impressive over the past few weeks, ranking very highly on the defensive end. While many expected the Nets to be one of the premier offensive teams, they have made an even bigger impact on defense. If Brooklyn gets Kyrie Irving back at any point, then it immediately becomes the favorite to win the championship once again. The one area that the Nets need to improve on is their rebounding, as they are 25th in the NBA in total rebounds per game. Their brand and identity have been established through their small-ball lineup this season, but a better “team rebounding” mentality can quickly make them the scariest team in the NBA.

Golden State Warriors vs. Brooklyn Nets Daily Fantasy Picks

An argument could be made that Steph Curry should have been MVP last season. He averaged 32 points, which is a career-high for him and even more than he averaged in his unanimous MVP season. Now, Curry has had a huge four-game stretch, including a 40 point game and a 50-point game, and is an early front-runner for MVP of the 2021-22 NBA season. The magic is certainly still there. Additionally, Curry has been effective in other areas, dishing out ten assists in two of his past four games while also averaging just shy of six rebounds. As long as Curry plays, he should be considered in DFS; there is no such thing as a bad matchup for him.

By his standards, James Harden has struggled this season so far. Regardless, James Harden had a game recently that resembled the old Harden, putting up 39 points, 12 assists, and five rebounds. While Harden only averages 19.5 points, 9.3 assists, and 7.5 rebounds, these will all likely increase over the year, especially as he adjusts to being somewhat of a scapegoat for the NBA as they change the way that the game is called on the offensive end. Harden can put up a massive triple-double on any given night and, therefore, still warrants a DFS play if the matchup is favorable. There are plenty of teams left on the schedule that are not defending the perimeter very well, and Harden should take advantage of that.