One of the most intriguing 7-vs.-2 matchups in a long time gets underway tonight in Houston.
The young Rockets (2) were a top-five team in the NBA based on their record, but they’re underdogs vs. the veteran Warriors (7) in tonight’s series. It’s also notable that Houston entered the playoffs with the seventh-worst odds to win the Western Conference, ahead of only 8-seed Memphis.
The biggest reason for the skepticism of coach Ime Udoka’s team is its playoff inexperience. Tonight marks the first taste of the postseason for all but three of the top nine players in the Rockets’ rotation.
The Warriors, on the other hand have as much star power and playoff experience as any team in the league. They were outstanding over the last couple of months following their midseason deal for former Heat star Jimmy Butler.
Warriors vs. Rockets Injury News, Series Odds
The Warriors do not have any players listed on the injury report tonight. The Rockets are without Jock Landale and Jae’Sean Tate, but are otherwise healthy.
In addition to the odds below for Game 1, the series odds are widely available, including at DraftKings and FanDuel.
- DK: Warriors -180, Rockets +150
- FD: Warriors -168, Rockets +142
Warriors vs. Rockets Odds: Spread, ML, Total
| DK | FD | bet365 | |
| GSW spread | +1 (-108) | +1 (-110) | +1 (-110) |
| HOU spread | -1 (-112) | -1 (-110) | -1 (-110) |
| GSW ML | +100 | +100 | +100 |
| HOU ML | -120 | -118 | -120 |
| Total | 212.5 (o-110; u-110) | 213 (o-110; u-110) | 213 (o-110; u-110) |
How to Watch Warriors vs. Rockets
- Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: TNT/truTV/Max
Best Warriors vs. Rockets Player Props
Stephen Curry Player Props vs. Rockets
How Curry plays tonight will be fascinating. In the most recent matchup between these teams, a 106-96 win by the Rockets on April 6, Curry was harassed by Amen Thompson into a 3-point performance on just 1-for-10 shooting (1-for-8 3PT).
He did record eight assists in that one, but it was nevertheless stunning to see Curry held to single-digit points.
Stephen Curry O/U Points vs. Rockets:
- DraftKings: 24.5 (over -120; under -110)
- FanDuel: 24.5 (over -114; under -114)
Stephen Curry O/U Assists vs. Rockets:
- DraftKings: 5.5 (over +105; under -135)
- FanDuel: 5.5 (over +102; under -136)
Stephen Curry Over 5.5 Assists (+105 at DraftKings) — 1 unit
Curry, who recorded eight, three and five assists in the three games he played against Houston this year, should see a ton of ton of aggressive pressure from Thompson and the Rockets tonight.
That makes him a great bet, especially at plus money, to record at least six assists. Curry had six dimes or more in 41 of his 70 games this year, and he had at least five in 50/70, so at the very least, he’s a lock to get close to this number, which is always a great starting point.
At the risk of oversimplifying, it’s also hard to see Houston doing anything other than sticking to what worked in the recent meeting, when Curry not only shot poorly, but did so on far fewer looks than normal.
He averaged 18 field goal attempts and 11.2 3PA per game this year, but had just 10 FGA and 8 3PA vs. Houston on April 6, and that was a big reason his team only scored 96 points in that loss.
The Rockets’ defensive approach vs. Curry will evolve throughout this series, but expect plenty of assist opportunities for Golden State’s star in this one. which makes it hard to resist Stephen Curry 7+ assists (+200 at DK) — 0.5 units.
Warriors vs. Rockets Pick, Best Bets
The five regular-season matchups between these teams don’t tell us too much about what to expect tonight and in this series. Golden State’s wins over Houston on November 2 and December 5 both came without Curry, and the Dec. 5 win came with Draymond Green also out of the lineup.
Only two of the five regular-season meetings between these teams took place after Butler joined Golden State in midseason, with the Warriors and Rockets splitting those contests.
Playoff experience is a well-worn cliche, but it gets talked about so much for good reason. Last night’s Pistons-Knicks game was a perfect example. Detroit led 91-83 entering the fourth quarter, but fell apart down the stretch at MSG en route to a 123-112 loss.
I digress, but my point is I expect Houston to start off strong, especially in front of its raucous home crowd.
Give me the Rockets on the tight first-half spread, but I like Curry to bounce back from his awful showing against Houston a couple weeks ago and combine with Butler to make enough plays late to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.
Warriors vs. Rockets Best Bets:
- Rockets first half -0.5 (-108 at FanDuel) — 1 unit
- Warriors moneyline (+100 at bet365) — 1 unit
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