The Rockets have won 10 of 11 to improve to 21-15 while the Warriors have won 10 of their last 14. The Warriors are a sizable home favorite but can the Rockets make this a close contest and cover?

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

The Rockets were merely 11-14 before this run, so a number of their spreads have been smaller than usual given their early season struggles. Now that they are hot, though, they are covering with ease as they have cashed in five straight and nine of 11. They’ve thrived against teams with a winning record, cashing in 12 of 18 such contests.

As for the Warriors, they’ve been doing a lot of winning but not a lot of covering. They have covered in two straight but prior to that, had failed to cover in eight of nine. They are just 8-12 ATS at home, 14-19 ATS as the favorite and 7-12 ATS against teams with a winning record.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets are still playing without Chris Paul (hamstring) these days but that doesn’t seem to have mattered. James Harden has played out of his mind since the start of December. In the final month of the calendar year, Harden averaged 36.4 points per game with 7.9 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 5.2 threes. That actually pales in comparison to what he’s done recently as on Monday, he become the first player in NBA history to have at least 35 points and five assists in eight straight games. He has surpassed the 40-point mark in four straight and the Rockets might need that type of effort on Thursday night.

The Rockets are going to be a bit shorthanded against a team with four All-Stars and a lot of depth. Not only is Paul out, so is Eric Gordon. James Ennis is also questionable for Thursday. If he can’t go, that removes three players from the lineup who average at least 25 minutes of action. That might be too much to overcome.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors have lost just four of their last 14 games but for the most part, each of those losses are understandable. A loss at Utah is OK and while home losses to the Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers aren’t ideal, but those are all playoff teams. Other than that, this Warriors team has put the locker room drama behind them. They are averaging a healthy 114.8 points per game since the start of December, which is fourth in the league. Their defense has also been much improved as their defensive rating is 106.7 in that span (10^th in NBA). They were at 109.6 (19^th in the NBA) in the two months prior.

The challenge here is that Golden hasn’t been all that reliable at home of late. They’ve lost two in a row at Oracle Arena and even the two wins before that were by two and by four points, respectively. They have won by nine or more just once in their last six home games. Look for them to win but fall inside of the spread.

Injuries

Houston

Kenneth Faried (PF)

Ques Fri Personal - 08 / 05 / 19

Danuel House Jr. (SF)

Ques Fri Toe - 05 / 05 / 19

Austin Rivers (PG)

Prob Tues Illness - 28 / 04 / 19

Clint Capela (C)

Prob Wed Illness - 23 / 04 / 19

Clint Capela (C)

Prob Sun Illness - 12 / 04 / 19

Danuel House Jr. (SF)

Prob Sun Knee - 07 / 04 / 19

Iman Shumpert (SG)

Out Wed Rest - 03 / 04 / 19

Eric Gordon (SG)

Prob Thurs Ankle - 27 / 03 / 19

Kenneth Faried (PF)

Prob Tues Knee - 26 / 03 / 19

Eric Gordon (SG)

Prob Tues Ankle - 25 / 03 / 19

Golden State

Kevon Looney (C)

Prob Thurs Collarbone - 11 / 06 / 19

Kevon Looney (C)

Ques Fri Collarbone - 02 / 06 / 19

Andre Iguodala (SF)

Prob Sun Calf - 31 / 05 / 19

Shaun Livingston (PG)

Prob Thurs Knee - 27 / 05 / 19

Andre Iguodala (SF)

Prob Thurs Calf - 19 / 05 / 19

Kevon Looney (C)

Prob Thurs Knee - 15 / 05 / 19

Andre Iguodala (SF)

Prob Wed Knee - 07 / 05 / 19

Shaun Livingston (PG)

Prob Wed Hip - 07 / 05 / 19

Draymond Green (PF)

Prob Wed Wrist - 21 / 04 / 19

DeMarcus Cousins (C)

Prob Thurs Quadricep - 16 / 04 / 19

Injuries

Houston

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Kenneth Faried (PF)	Ques Fri	Personal - 08 / 05 / 19	2-0	0-1-1	+ -
Faried is tending to a personal matter and it is unclear if he will play against the Warriors in Game 6 of the Western Conference second round.
Danuel House Jr. (SF)	Ques Fri	Toe - 05 / 05 / 19	3-1	2-1-1	+ -
House Jr. has inflammation in his right toe and it is unknown if he will be available for Game 6 of the Western Conference second round versus the Warriors.
Austin Rivers (PG)	Prob Tues	Illness - 28 / 04 / 19	4-2	2-3-1	+ -
Rivers is ailing from an illness but the symptoms are expected to subside in time for Game 2 of the Western Conference second round against the Warriors.
Clint Capela (C)	Prob Wed	Illness - 23 / 04 / 19	5-3	2-5-1	+ -
Capela is ailing from adenovirus and a klebsiella infection but is likely to play against the Jazz in Game 5 of the Western Conference first round.
Clint Capela (C)	Prob Sun	Illness - 12 / 04 / 19	7-4	3-7-1	+ -
Capela is battling an illness but is expected to suit up against the Jazz in Game 1 of the Western Conference first round.
Danuel House Jr. (SF)	Prob Sun	Knee - 07 / 04 / 19	9-4	4-7-2	+ -
House Jr. is likely to play against the Suns on Sunday despite a left knee contusion.
Iman Shumpert (SG)	Out Wed	Rest - 03 / 04 / 19	12-4	6-8-2	+ -
Shumpert will not play Wednesday against the Clippers as he will be given the night off to rest.
Eric Gordon (SG)	Prob Thurs	Ankle - 27 / 03 / 19	13-5	6-10-2	+ -
Gordon is expected to play Thursday against the Nuggets despite a right ankle sprain.
Kenneth Faried (PF)	Prob Tues	Knee - 26 / 03 / 19	14-5	6-11-2	+ -
Faried is sidelined due to left knee soreness but is likely to return against the Kings on Tuesday.
Eric Gordon (SG)	Prob Tues	Ankle - 25 / 03 / 19	14-5	6-11-2	+ -
Gordon is battling a sprained right ankle but it is likely he will play Tuesday against the Bucks.

Golden State

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Kevon Looney (C)	Prob Thurs	Collarbone - 11 / 06 / 19	0-1	0-2	+ -
Looney is expected to play in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Raptors despite leaving the last game after aggravating his right first costal cartilage non-displaced fracture.
Kevon Looney (C)	Ques Fri	Collarbone - 02 / 06 / 19	1-3	3-2	+ -
Looney suffered a right first costal cartilage non-displaced fracture to his collarbone and it is unknown if he will return against the Raptors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Andre Iguodala (SF)	Prob Sun	Calf - 31 / 05 / 19	1-3	4-2	+ -
Iguodala is nursing left calf soreness but it is likely he will play against the Raptors in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Shaun Livingston (PG)	Prob Thurs	Knee - 27 / 05 / 19	1-3	4-2	+ -
Livingston is expected to play against the Raptors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals despite a sore left knee.
Andre Iguodala (SF)	Prob Thurs	Calf - 19 / 05 / 19	2-4	5-3	+ -
Iguodala is dealing with tightness in his left calf but is expected to be available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Raptors.
Kevon Looney (C)	Prob Thurs	Knee - 15 / 05 / 19	4-4	6-4	+ -
Looney is likely to partake in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Trail Blazers despite left knee soreness.
Andre Iguodala (SF)	Prob Wed	Knee - 07 / 05 / 19	4-7	7-5-1	+ -
Iguodala has a hyperextended left knee but is expected to play in Game 5 of the Western Conference second round against the Rockets.
Shaun Livingston (PG)	Prob Wed	Hip - 07 / 05 / 19	4-7	7-5-1	+ -
Livingston is battling soreness in his left hip but is likely to suit up against the Rockets in Game 5 of the Western Conference second round.
Draymond Green (PF)	Prob Wed	Wrist - 21 / 04 / 19	7-10	11-7-1	+ -
Green is nursing a right wrist injury but is projected to suit up against the Clippers in Game 5 of the Western Conference first round.
DeMarcus Cousins (C)	Prob Thurs	Quadricep - 16 / 04 / 19	8-11	12-8-1	+ -
Cousins will be available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Raptors after recovering from a tear in his left quadriceps.

Rockets vs. Warriors Prediction