Blazers-Warriors Season Opener: How to Watch, Odds, Predictions, More

Ricardo Klein | Oct 23, 2024

Apr 11, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) looks to pass the ball during the first half against Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The 2024-25 season for the Portland Trail Blazers has finally arrived. Game one of 82 tips off on Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors, and while the expectations for the Blazers aren't high at all, the excitement of the new season trumps that. 

The Trail Blazers will look to continue their stellar record of season openers ever since their existence. The Blazers have a 32-22 record for season openers, and tonight they'll look to move to 33-22, but it won't be easy, and the odds are not in their favor. 

The Blazers are home underdogs in this matchup against the Warriors, led by their superstar and future Hall of Famer, Stephen Curry. 

The Warriors are the favorites with a -6.5 spread, the money line in their favor at -230, and the over/under set at 221.5. According to ESPN Analytics, the Trail Blazers have a 38.1 percent shot at winning the game compared to the Warriors, who have a 61.9 percent chance to win the game. 

The Trail Blazers will also be without three of their key players, compared to the Warriors, who have no one on the injured report in another game. 

Portland will be without center Robert Williams III and guards Shaedon Sharpe and Matisse Thybulle. Williams could be back for the team's next game on Friday against the Pelicans, but Sharpe and Thybulle will be out for the rest of the month. 

Last season, the Warriors swept the season series 4-0. They played each other three times in December, with the first two matchups being two-possession games. The Warriors won both games by a combined eight points. 

The other two games weren't as close. The Warriors defeated Portland by 20 points the day before Christmas Eve. After that, they faced each other in the regular season finale when the Warriors came out on top by eight points to secure a spot in the Western Conference play-in round.

The Blazers may not have the odds in their favor or the manpower, but head coach Chauncey Billups says he is a fan of his depth. 

"I love our depth," Billups said. "I think it's hard for any coach to play more than nine guys. But there will be nights when I play 10. We want to play fast, we want to pressure guys out and that wears you out. Not just the other team, but it wears us out, too."

Tip-off is at 7 p.m. PT. 

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