Vegas Play of the Day: Warriors at Trail Blazers

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Monday, April 24, 2017 | 12:47 p.m.

We’ve entered the third season of the annual South Point-lined Play of the Day competition, effective July 1.

Starting bankrolls have reset to $10,000, with the maximum bet being to win $1,000 and the minimum wager $300. Ray Brewer won the 2015-2016 season, after Taylor Bern prevailed in 2014-2015. Bern stepped away in the middle of the 2016-2017 season with a 16-12 record and $13,317 bankroll, with Mike Grimala taking his place.

Golden State Warriors minus-7.5 at Portland Trail Blazers: $550 to win $500

The big story heading into this game (and maybe the rest of the playoffs) is the absence of Golden State head coach Steve Kerr, who has stepped away from the team due to lingering complications from back surgery. But should it be that big of a deal? The Warriors have been a juggernaut with Kerr on the sideline (173-34 in three regular seasons), but when he missed half of last season due to the same back issues, the Dubs cruised right along without him (34-5 under interim coach Luke Walton).

Acting head coach Mike Brown is an experienced hand, and he should be competent enough to guide the Warriors through the first round without incident. Golden State has won the first three games of the series by an average of 15.7 points, and the Blazers are already making vacation plans after losing Game 3 at home. That was Portland's final stand, and I fully expect the Warriors to win convincingly tonight.

If Kerr is out for an extended period, Brown's coaching could cost Golden State eventually — like maybe in the finals. The Warriors could play without a coach and close out this series. Give the points and take the Dubs.

Current Standings: Granger (15-18-1, $8,727), Grimala (7-11, $8,233), Keefer (42-35-3, $8,210), Brewer (29-29-1, $7,485)