Basketball <\/p>\n
Down seven at the end of the second quarter, the Warriors now have the lead. Sitting on a score of 69-68, they have looked like the better team, but there’s still one more quarter to play.<\/p>\n
If the Warriors keep playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 15-9 in no time. On the other hand, the Rockets will have to make due with a 16-9 record unless they turn things around (and fast).<\/p>\n
Golden State Warriors @ Houston Rockets<\/p>\n
Current Records: Golden State 14-9, Houston 16-8<\/p>\n
The Warriors have enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will venture away from home to challenge the Houston Rockets at 9:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Toyota Center. The Warriors are expected to lose this one by two points, so we’ll see if that gives them a bit of motivation.<\/p>\n
Last Sunday, the Warriors were able to grind out a solid victory over the Timberwolves, taking the game 114-106. The win came about thanks to a strong surge starting at the 11:36 mark of the third quarter, when Golden State was facing a 61-49 deficit.<\/p>\n
The Warriors can attribute much of their success to Stephen Curry, who earned 30 points plus eight assists, and Buddy Hield, who went 7 for 13 from beyond the arc en route to 27 points plus three steals. That’s the most threes Hield has posted since back in October.<\/p>\n
The Warriors smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds (they’re ranked third in offensive rebounds per game overall). That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they’ve now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in four consecutive matches.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Rockets beat the Clippers 117-106 on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The Rockets’ win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Jalen Green, who posted 31 points. Another player making a difference was Amen Thompson, who went 9 for 14 en route to 22 points plus eight rebounds.<\/p>\n
Golden State’s victory bumped their record up to 14-9. As for Houston, their win bumped their record up to 16-8.<\/p>\n
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: The Warriors have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 48.7 rebounds per game (they’re ranked second in rebounds per game overall). However, it’s not like the Rockets (currently ranked first) struggle in that department as they’ve been averaging 49.9. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we’ll see if one team can grab an edge.<\/p>\n
The Rockets and the Warriors pleased both fans and bettors in their last matchups by winning and covering the spread. Looking forward, the Rockets are expected to win a tight contest, barring any buzzer beaters. Be careful betting them against the spread as while they’re 16-8 ATS overall, they’re only 2-8 against Golden State in their most recent matchups.<\/p>\n
Houston is a slight 2-point favorite against Golden State, according to the latest NBA odds<\/a>.<\/p>\n The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Rockets as a 2.5-point favorite.<\/p>\n The over\/under is 222.5 points.<\/p>\n See NBA picks<\/a> for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now<\/a>.<\/p>\n Golden State has won all of the games they’ve played against Houston in the last 2 years.<\/p>\nSeries History<\/h3>\n
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