The Houston Rockets spent the regular season dispatching teams with ease, draining three-pointers at a ridiculous clip en route to earning the top seed in the West, but none of it mattered in a 119-106 Game 1 setback to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference final series opener. James Harden and company will look to split the series at one game apiece in Game 2 on Wednesday. After Game 1 went below the total, will the Rockets continue to go UNDER at home? The UNDER is 15-6 in Houston’s past 21 at Toyota Center.
Sportsbook opened the Rockets as 1.5-point home favorites with a total of 224.5.
- The Warriors are 9-21 ATS in their last 30 games against teams with winning records.
- The Warriors are 21-5 SU in their last 26 games against the Rockets.
- The Warriors are 25-3 SU in their last 28 games in the playoffs.
Led by Kevin Durant (37 points) and Klay Thompson (28), the Warriors outscored the Rockets by 13 points in the second half and were clearly the better team from start to finish. Durant was firing at will, as the 29-year-old went 14-for-27 from the floor. The Rockets’ 16 turnovers were the most they’ve coughed up in a game in the playoffs, while the Warriors, who committed nine turnovers, are 10-0 SU (3-0 in the postseason) when limiting themselves to 10 or fewer turnovers.
Harden’s team-high 41 points simply weren’t enough to keep pace with the high-octane Warriors, but a lack of secondary scoring was obvious for Houston. Harden went 5-for-9 from three-point range in Game 1, with the rest of the Rockets going 8-for-28 from downtown. Point guard Chris Paul had 23 points and 11 boards in the opener but managed only three assists, while big man Clint Capela (12 points on 6-of-7 shooting) was a bright spot in Houston’s frontcourt.
The good news for Houston bettors is the squad’s penchant for bouncing back after a loss. In the Rockets’ last nine when coming off a loss, they’re a perfect 9-0 SU.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
Sportsbooks such as Sportsbook had the Houston Rockets installed as 2-point favorites in this particular NBA matchup. The OVER/UNDER betting line for the total number of points scored was listed by most sportsbooks, including Sportsbook, at 225.
OddsShark computer score prediction models pick a possible 112-104 win for the Rockets on Wednesday. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NBA matchups here.
Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Golden State Warriors will look to vanquish their hosts on Wednesday, as they are 40-52-1 versus the spread this season, while the Houston Rockets are 47-44-2 ATS. Golden State is 44-48-1 against the points scored total betting line, while Houston is 38-54-1 versus the line. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Houston vs Golden State injuries news.
This game pits the Rockets, currently No. 3 in the OddsShark NBA Power Rankings, against the Warriors, who rate No. 22 in the most recent survey update.
Statistical Matchup
When it comes to rebounds, the visiting Golden State Warriors rank No. 13 in the league with 43.96 per game. That compares with Houston's No. 18 ranking in that category. The story is different when it comes to three-point shooting where Houston is the NBA's No. 1-ranked team at 15.16 treys per game, while Golden State rates No. 9 with 11.15 per contest.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
The Rockets were burned for 37 points by Kevin Durant on Monday as the Warriors picked up a 119-106 win at Toyota Center.
- Golden State is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games on the road
- Golden State is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games when playing Houston
- Houston is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Houston's last 19 games
- Houston is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games at home
- Houston is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games at home
Next Betting Matchups
Golden State home to Houston, Sunday, May 20
