Rockets vs. Warriors Odds, Prediction: Game 5 NBA Playoffs
They say an NBA playoff series doesn’t officially begin until a home team loses a game. That has yet to happen in this series.
Could Wednesday be the final NBA game ever in the city of Oakland? Kevin Durant’s last home game with Golden State? The Warriors are moving across the bay to San Francisco and a gleaming new arena next season, so with a loss here and then in Game 6 back in Houston on Friday that would be the case.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Dubs have won 22 of their past 25 home playoff games and beat the Rockets 104-100 in Game 1 at Oracle Arena and 115-109 in Game 2. However, Golden State was stunned twice at home in the first round by a Clippers team that isn’t nearly as good as Houston. The Warriors are 10-1 all-time at home in the postseason against the Rockets, but Houston has won four of its past five regular-season games in Oakland. The Rockets are 7-9 on the road in the postseason under head coach Mike D’Antoni.
On the moneyline for Game 5, the Warriors are -247 and Rockets +205. The favoured winning margins are Warriors by both 1-3 and 4-6 points and +550. Every game thus far has been decided by between 4-6 points.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets were 112-108 winners in Game 4 on Monday to stay unbeaten at home in these playoffs. James Harden led, as he usually does, with 38 points but was only 6-for-17 from deep. He seemed to tire in the fourth and his inaccuracy allowed the Warriors to nearly steal the game late. Eric Gordon chipped in 20 points and P.J. Tucker 17 points and 10 rebounds – plus several hustle plays.
Houston has largely used the undersized Tucker as its centre often in this series because the Warriors take advantage of usual centre Clint Capela when he’s in there. The Rockets outrebounded the Warriors 50-43 and the team that has won the battle of the boards has won every game in this series.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors really didn’t deserve to win Game 4, trailing by as many as 17, but they had open three-point looks by both Kevin Durant and Steph Curry in the final seconds to tie – who else would you rather have in the NBA with one of those? – and they both missed. Golden State has been getting crushed from behind the arc in this series at minus-30.
Durant was largely unstoppable again with 34 points and Curry had 30, but Curry still doesn’t look right in shooting 4-for-14 from deep. Klay Thompson was simply bad in shooting 5-for-15 overall and 1-for-6 from deep. The Warriors are being forced to play Durant, Curry and Draymond Green too many minutes because they are so thin.
HOU
GS