The trials and tribulations of a champion are on full display with the Golden State Warriors right now and they will look to cool those emotions when they face the Houston Rockets tonight. The Warriors will be without Stephen Curry, who is dealing with a leg injury, and the internal drama for the Dubs could be hard for them to overcome. The Rockets, on the other hand, have had their own struggles to start the year but will seek their third straight win.
The Rockets opened as 2.5-point favorites with a total of 220.
- The Rockets are ranked 28th in points per game this season (103.2).
- The Warriors are 2-4 ATS in six road games this season.
- The UNDER has hit in six of the last seven games in this matchup.
Warriors vs Rockets Game Center
Rockets’ Lack Of Scoring Is A Cause For Concern
The Rockets’ “3 or layup” mentality has always been the linchpin of their recent success but this season, it may be shooting them in the foot. The Rockets are shooting a woeful 32.9 percent (28th) from three-point range on an obscene 41 shots from deep per game, which leads the NBA. Last year, they shot 36 percent, which explains why their scoring has taken a dip from 112.4 points per game down to 103.2 this season.
When they faced this team in the Western Conference final last season, the Rockets could only muster 98.4 points per game (seven games) and we all know how that played out when they missed 24 consecutive shots in the second half of Game 7.
The encouraging news for Rockets backers is they looked to have turned a corner defensively when they locked down the Pacers and Nuggets over their last two games and they should match up well with the Warriors, who will be without Stephen Curry tonight. I’m personally avoiding the spread in this matchup but I can’t fault bettors for taking either team to cover.
Warriors Haven’t been a Reliable Spread Bet on Road
The last thing I’m going to do in this preview is try to tell you about the Warriors’ perceived weaknesses because they have too much talent on that squad to let themselves self-destruct from the drama. But the one thing that can’t be overlooked is they aren’t a lock to win 82 games and they have let bettors down when tabbed as an underdog. The Dubs are 5-5 SU and ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog during the regular season and were 1-3 SU and ATS in four games as a pup last season.
Any casual fan of the NBA knows this team can put up points and play lockdown defense but Steph Curry being out of the lineup makes the Warriors a very different team. He is the engine that makes them go and provides valuable spacing for other players on the court. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Golden State is 22-30 ATS in 52 games with him on the sidelines since the beginning of the 2015-16 season.
I’m avoiding the spreads in this game as the Rockets haven’t looked like themselves yet this season and the Warriors’ internal strife is a huge red flag.
Should You take the UNDER?
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: also yes, but the main reason is because of the Rockets’ scoring dip this season and how their recent games have finished. The UNDER has hit in five of the Rockets’ last six games with an average combined score of 196.8 points per game. Another reason I like the UNDER is how their series played out in the West final last season when the UNDER hit in six of those seven games.
My Pick Is…
To take the UNDER. I think these teams won’t play the run-and-gun style they’ve been accustomed to. With Curry out of the lineup, the Warriors’ offense isn’t as potent.
