Rockets vs. Warriors Odds, Prediction: Game 2 NBA Playoffs
With all due respect to the four teams left standing in the Eastern Conference in Milwaukee, Toronto, Philadelphia and Boston, many experts believe Rockets-Warriors is the de facto NBA Finals and that the series winner will go on to win a championship. Certainly, the victor will be favoured in the West Finals over either Denver or Portland.
Of course, the Rockets held a 3-2 series lead over the Warriors in the 2018 West Finals but lost star point guard Chris Paul to a hamstring injury late in Game 5. He missed the final two games and the Warriors rallied to win the series.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Golden State took Game 1 of this series Sunday afternoon, 104-100, despite a very quick turnaround after finishing the Clippers in Game 6 of that first-round series Friday night. The Rockets, meanwhile, were well-rested. Just feels like that was a game Houston had to steal. Lose Game 2, and it’s tough to see any team in the NBA beating the Warriors four out of the next five games. The Dubs are heavy -410 series favourites with Houston at +340.
Houston Rockets
No matter which team you root for or bet on in Game 1, the referees largely ruined it by calling 45 total fouls and four technicals – Paul was ejected late for confronting a referee. Yet afterward, James Harden was ticked off that MORE fouls weren’t called when he was shooting 3-pointers. Only one was in that scenario the entire game. Draymond Green may have fouled Harden on a potential tying 3-point attempt with 7.4 seconds left but there was no whistle.
Harden has to be better for his team to have a chance as he was just 9-for-28 shooting and 4-for-16 from deep. Clint Capela had just four points and was minus-17. The bench did little – Austin Rivers didn’t play due to illness.
Golden State Warriors
The Dubs haven’t lost a series since blowing a 3-1 lead in the 2016 NBA Finals to Cleveland. Golden State hasn’t lost a series to a Western Conference team since the 2014 first-round to the L.A. Clippers. That led to a change at head coach in dumping Mark Jackson and hiring Steve Kerr. The Dubs are now 22-1 in Game 1’s under Kerr. They only attempted 22 3-pointers in Game 1, tied for their fewest in a playoff game under the coach.
Kevin Durant led with 35 points, his 35th straight playoff game with at least 20 points. That’s the sixth-longest streak in league history. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson combined for only 31 points on 10-for-25 shooting. Those two aren’t both going to struggle like that often. The Warriors also got very little from their bench. The game was there for Houston to take.
HOU
GS