The Golden State Warriors are being put on an acid test by the Houston Rockets in their second-round series in the playoffs, but they are very close to moving on to the Western Conference Finals. A win this Thursday will get them there, but they will have to do that at Houston’s home, where James Harden and company will give it all to try to force a Game 7.
Of course, the big question surrounds Kevin Durant and his calf strain, which is more likely a Grade 1 tear. The sportsbook reflects betting public reaction, giving the Houston Rockets a 7.5-point edge over the Warriors this Friday, although NBA series pricing still likes Golden State, giving them -320 odds to make it through the round. Read on for a breakdown of Game 6.
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Betting Preview for the Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets NBA Playoff Game on May 10, 2019
Where: Toyota Center, Houston
When: Thursday, May 10, 2019, 9:00 PM ET
Line: Golden State Warriors (+7.5) vs. Houston Rockets (-7.5) – view all NBA lines
Series: Golden State leads, 3-2
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Golden State Warriors (57-25 Regular Season)
The Warriors regained the upper hand in the series with a 104-99 win at home on Wednesday, but that’s arguably the biggest story of the night for the team. Kevin Durant and his injury is dominating the headlines, as it’s possible that his strained calf could force him to miss at least Game 6 of the series. Durant hurt his calf in the third period, exiting the game and not returning, but not before scattering 22 points on 8-for-18 shooting from the field in 32 minutes. The good thing for the Warriors is that even if they miss Durant, they will still be left with two All-Stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Curry had 25 points and three 3-pointers in Game 5, while Thompson was scorching hot, chipping in 27 points on 11-for-20 shooting from the field and 5-for-10 from deep. With or without Durant, the Warriors have the offense to keep in step with Houston. Defensively, they will have to ask for more from Draymond Green and Kevon Looney, but again, there shouldn’t be much of a drop off on offense, so long as Curry and Thompson are getting their shots up.
The over is 5-1 in the Rockets’ last six road games.
Betting on the Houston Rockets (53-29 Regular Season)
The Rockets let a golden chance to grab a 3-2 series lead get away from them. And for a number of reasons. For one, they didn’t get much from their bench. Although the Rockets got 18 points from their second unit to just 11 by Golden State, there is more pressure to deliver for Houston’s bench to score, as the team does not have the luxury of having an abundance of superstars in their starting lineup. James Harden scored 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting and 3-for-9 from downtown, but those were not enough to cover the ugly performance on offense by Chris Paul, who only had 11 points on 3-for-14 shooting and a horrendous 0-for-6 from distance. Capela also was abysmal on that end of the floor, finishing with just six points to go with his 14 rebounds. Harden can’t take on the Warriors all by himself, so Paul and Capela need to step up and play like they’re truly worthy of their salaries. Things should be easier for them, especially for Capela inside, if Durant will not be able to play in Game 6.
Houston 8-1-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Warriors win, 116-114.
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