Houston (1-1) at Golden State (1-1)
When: Sunday, May 20th 2018
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: TNT
Opening Odds: Golden State -7/227
The Houston Rockets had the best regular season record in the NBA to earn home court advantage throughout the postseason, but the Golden State Warriors stole that advantage with an easy Game 1 victory. The Rockets clamped down on their perimeter defense in Game 2 and didn’t allow the Warriors to get so many open three-pointers as they did in the opener. That, plus the balanced scoring attack helped the Rockets avoid disaster with a 127-105 rout of the Warriors as the series shifts to Oakland for the next two contests beginning Sunday night. James Harden and Eric Gordon led the way with 27 points as the Rockets had five players score 16 points or more in Game 2. Kevin Durant had 38 points after scoring 37 in the opener, but Steph Curry and Klay Thompson combined for just 24 points, while making just 3-of-12 from long range. Gordon came off the bench to make six 3-pointers and set the tone early. “They were more settled tonight and they hit timely shots,” Durant said. “The first quarter was still the most important part of the game. Eric Gordon hit two big 3s and that kind of settled them in. Those shots did it for them.” Golden State puts a 15-game home winning streak in the playoffs – tied for the NBA record – on the line Sunday night. Houston took the only meeting in Oakland during the regular season with a 122-121 victory.
Point guard Chris Paul had 16 points, six assists and three steals in the Game 2 win while battling through a calf issue that he says will not hold him back Sunday. Gordon’s 27-point outburst included 6-of-9 from 3-point range in Game 2 after averaging 9.7 points and hitting 5-of-18 from beyond the arc over his previous three games. Small forward PJ Tucker scored 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting in Game 2 after going 35 minutes without a field goal in Game 1. Center Clint Capela scored just five points, but grabbed 10 rebounds after totaling 11 in the previous two games combined.
Thompson has been very inconsistent this entire postseason and looked as if he was turning things around with a monster Game 1, but scored just eight points in the second game on 3-of-11 shooting. He needs four points to move past Hall of Famer Rick Barry (1,776) and into second place on the franchise’s all-time postseason scoring list. Durant has carried the load offensively by averaging 37.5 points on 55.1% shooting in the series, but will need to get help from his supporting cast.
I’m not worried about this Golden State team. Yes, Curry looked bad on defense, but this is a pretty good Houston team. The Warriors still have more scoring and depth and the home court advantage at Oracle Center will carry them to an easy Game 3 victory.
Pick: Warriors -7
- Rockets are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Rockets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Rockets are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Rockets are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 Sunday games.
- Rockets are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Rockets are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Rockets are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up win.
- Rockets are 3-13-1 ATS in their last 17 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.
- Rockets are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs. NBA Pacific.
- Warriors are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Warriors are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Conference Finals games.
- Warriors are 21-7 ATS in their last 28 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Warriors are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
- Warriors are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Warriors are 8-18 ATS in their last 26 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Warriors are 7-16 ATS in their last 23 Sunday games.
- Warriors are 9-22 ATS in their last 31 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Warriors are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Warriors are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 home games.
- Warriors are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Under is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Under is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 Sunday games.
- Under is 11-1 in Rockets last 12 vs. NBA Pacific.
- Under is 5-1 in Rockets last 6 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Under is 9-3 in Rockets last 12 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 8-3 in Rockets last 11 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Under is 5-2 in Rockets last 7 road games.
- Under is 10-4 in Rockets last 14 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 30-12 in Rockets last 42 vs. Western Conference.
- Under is 5-2 in Rockets last 7 Conference Finals games.
- Under is 19-9 in Rockets last 28 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 21-10 in Rockets last 31 overall.
- Under is 29-14-2 in Rockets last 45 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Warriors last 4 games following a straight up loss.
- Over is 5-1 in Warriors last 6 Conference Finals games.
- Under is 4-1 in Warriors last 5 overall.
- Under is 4-1 in Warriors last 5 vs. Western Conference.
- Under is 4-1 in Warriors last 5 vs. NBA Southwest.
- Under is 4-1 in Warriors last 5 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Warriors last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Warriors last 5 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Under is 6-2 in Warriors last 8 Sunday games.
- Over is 6-2-1 in Warriors last 9 home games.
- Under is 15-5-1 in Warriors last 21 games following a ATS loss.
- Under is 19-7-1 in Warriors last 27 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Warriors last 8 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
