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The Brooklyn Nets and the Golden State Warriors meet in a must-see battle on Tuesday evening as part of the NBA's 2020 Opening Night. There is no shortage of storylines for this contest, including the fact that Kevin Durant will face off against his former team for the first time. Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season with an Achilles injury, but he helped to lead the Warriors to two championships before signing in Brooklyn. For the Warriors, Stephen Curry also returns from a hand injury, though Golden State will be without Klay Thompson this year due to an Achilles injury of his own, while Draymond Green (foot) has been ruled out for the opener. 

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. William Hill Sportsbook lists Brooklyn as a 7.5-point favorite at home, up from the opener. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over-under, is 234.5 in the latest Warriors vs. Nets odds. Before finalizing any Nets vs. Warriors picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it returned over $5,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks last season. The model is up nearly $8,100 over the past two seasons. Last year, it went a stunning 61-33 on top-rated picks against the spread, returning almost $2,500 on those selections alone. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Warriors vs. Nets. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the NBA odds from William Hill and trends for Nets vs. Warriors:

  • Warriors vs. Nets spread: Nets -7.5
  • Warriors vs. Nets over-under: 234.5 points
  • Warriors vs. Nets money line: Nets -325, Warriors +265
  • GS: The Warriors are 4-2 against the spread in the last six games
  • BKLN: The Nets are 7-4 against the spread in the last 11 games

Why the Warriors can cover

Curry returns after missing the majority of last season, and he projects to be one of the NBA's most impactful players in 2020-21. Curry is arguably the best shooter of all-time and, in his career, he has converted 43.5 percent of his long-range offerings. The Warriors moved quickly to surround him with an improved supporting cast, including Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre, Eric Paschall and Kent Bazemore. That should help mitigate the loss of Klay Thompson, who will miss the season with an Achilles injury. 

Wiggins averaged 21.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in 54 appearances last season, with Oubre producing 18.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game as a member of the Phoenix Suns. Paschall impressed during his rookie campaign, averaging 14.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, and Green is a game-changing force when he is engaged defensively. All told, Golden State is projected as a playoff contender, and they will be itching to prove themselves on a national stage.

Why the Nets can cover 

The Nets are absolutely loaded with offensive talent, headlined by Durant and Kyrie Irving. Few teams can match the star power of that duo and, even if one or both are rusty at the outset, Brooklyn has proven secondary creators. Spencer Dinwiddie stepped into Irving's shoes to average 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game last season. Caris LeVert was the team's focal point in the Orlando bubble, and he averaged 18.7 points per game for the entire 2019-20 season. 

On the outside, Joe Harris is back after signing a multi-year contract, and he is one of the best shooters in the NBA, converting 42.4 percent of his 3-pointers last season. From there, the Nets were a very strong offensive rebounding team in 2019-20, grabbing 26.9 percent of their own misses, and the duo of Jarrett Allen and DeAndre Jordan should fortify the center position.

How to make Warriors vs. Nets picks

SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, with Durant, Irving and Curry all projected to be held under 29 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see that pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Nets vs. Warriors? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Warriors vs. Nets spread you need to jump on Tuesday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks.