VW'S NBA BLANK CHECK BAILOUT (17-12, +$3.7K)
- Handicapper
- Vegas Writer
- League
- NBA
- Competition
- Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors
- Release Date
- 04/26/2025 08:55 AM
- Event Date
- 04/26/2025 08:40 PM
- Bet Type
- Point Spread
- Pick
-
Houston Rockets +3.5 (-110)
(DraftKings)
- Outcome
- Loss
- Analysis
- The surging Houston Rockets catapulted themselves back into contention in their Western Conference playoff series with the Golden State Warriors with a must-have home win and cover Wednesday. They will carry that momentum when the two square off in Game 3 tonight at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
After falling 95-85 at home in the opener, Houston’s dominant 109-94 Game 2 victory knotted the series at one game apiece. The 85 points were the lowest scoring output of the season for the West’s surprising No. 2 seed, as well as the lowest single-game point total of the year for its star Jalen Green.
Green went 3 for 15 from the field and 0 for 4 from the 3-point line for a mere seven points in Game 1, but bounced back with a vengeance in Wednesday’s win, connecting on 13 of his 25 shot attempts and 8 of 18 from deep for a game (and season) high 38 points.
All things considered, including how the Warriors have been playing of late, there still appears to be something amiss in the Bay. The addition of Jimmy Butler has, no doubt, been the difference for this team since February, and for Stephen Curry in particular. But a hard fall on his tailbone Wednesday has him in danger of missing today’s tilt, and opens the door even wider for a beatdown at the hands of the Rockets in this one.
Curry and crew are 4-3 versus Houston this season, but the Rockets have been solid away from home, winning and covering the spread in 23 of their 40 road tilts. That’s right there, with Golden State’s sub-par 24-17 home mark, where it finished with a dismal 17-24 record against the spread.
The Warriors are a one-possession favorite here but will fall short as Houston will surely look to exploit the Butler situation. Take the Rockets plus the points.
