Two of the top teams in the Western Conference square off on Thursday night, and oddsmakers at FanDuel Sportsbook have the visiting Houston Rockets as the 3.5-point betting favorites at the Chase Center when they take on the Golden State Warriors.
Here's a spread, moneyline, total, and player prop expert pick for this highly-anticipated matchup on December 5, 2024, even with some important parts absent.
Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Betting Odds
Preview: Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors, 10 p.m. ET
| Team | Spread | Money | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Rockets | -3.5 (-112) | -168 | O 222 (-110) |
| Golden State Warriors | +3.5 (-108) | +142 | U 222 (-110) |
Odds as of December 5, 2024 at FanDuel
Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Expert Picks
Houston Rockets ATS -3.5 (-112)
These two teams went to overtime back on Nov. 2, with the Warriors prevailing on the road 127-121 led by Buddy Hield's 27 points off the bench. Superstar guard Stephen Curry wasn't available for that game either, and he'll also be absent this time around as he sits with what the team is referring to as "bilateral knee injury management." Teammate Draymond Green has also been ruled out with left calf tightness.
Even if they were to compete, it still wouldn't have been enough to steer away from wagering on Houston here, even after it lost to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. The Rockets have won SU in their last 10 games as a road favorite coming off a defeat, and have covered the spread successfully in seven of their last eight games as a favorite after a loss, as well.
Golden State, meanwhile, is vulnerable having dropped five games in a row SU with just two covers. Its offense ranks 24th overall during that stretch, mustering up just 107.2 points per 100 possessions, while the Rockets' defense is giving up just 110.8 points per 100 possessions (13th) at that same time.
With Houston having covered in 10 of its last 12 games overall, paired with the Warriors' cold streak, the writing is on the wall for the Rockets to eek out a win of at least 3.5 points here and redeem their Nov. 2 overtime loss.
OVER 222 Total Points (-110)
Each of the last three games between Houston and Golden State has reached an OVER on the total score, and the Rockets' last three road outings have also gone OVER.
The Warriors are struggling offensively, but the trends are still leaning towards an OVER here, especially with the OVER hitting in five of Houston's last six games versus top-10 scoring defenses. Not having Curry and Green available hurts, but Golden State runs giant rotations giving pretty much everyone a healthy dose of minutes anyway.
Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Player Prop
Buddy Hield OVER 14.5 Points (-106)
In four games without Curry active this season, Hield has averaged 23.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, never scoring fewer than 17 points while maxing out at 28.
Houston is one of the Association's elite teams in defending the 3-point arc, ranking second with just 11.9 outside shots allowed to opponents, yet that didn't stop Hield from connecting on 6-of-10 from deep over a month ago.
Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Betting Trends
- Brandin Podziemski has failed to exceed 11.5 1H points + rebounds + assists in 12 of his last 15 games (7.7 1H points + rebounds + assists/game average).
- Jonathan Kuminga has failed to exceed 23.5 points + rebounds in eight-straight games at home (16.1 points + rebounds/game average).
- Alperen Sengun has failed to exceed 10.5 rebounds in six of his last seven games on the road (9.7 rebounds/game average).
*all betting trends courtesy of Outlier
