This was supposed to be the most anticipated NBA Western Conference Finals in years. Yet in Game 1 in Houston it was never much in doubt in the second half that visiting Golden State would win. Hard to imagine the Rockets now beating the Dubs four times in the next six games. Yet, Houston is a slight NBA odds favorite.
James Harden scored 41 points and shot 5-of-9 from deep and had four rebounds and seven assists in Houston’s Game 1 loss. He scored at will throughout the entire game, dropping 24 by halftime in just 16 minutes. But Harden got little help and ran too many isolation plays. Harden became the 1st player in NBA history to score 40 points in three straight Game 1s to open up a postseason. Harden and Shaquille O’Neal (2000) are the only players in NBA history with 3 40-point Game 1s in a single postseason.
Chris Paul scored 23 points and had 11 rebounds, three assists and a steal. CP3 couldn’t follow up his 41-point performance in the series-clincher over the Jazz with an encore, but he still managed a double-double and led the team in rebounds. Monday was just the 6th game the Rockets have lost this season in which Harden, Paul and Clint Capela all played (were 50-5 entering Game 1).
Eric Gordon had 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting in Game 1 after having a total of 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting the two games prior. He shot 3-of-7 from 3-point range in Game 1 after shooting 2-of-24 from behind-the-arc in three regular season games vs. G.S. (21-30 inside-the-arc).
P.J. Tucker had just one point on 0-of-3 shooting in Game 1 after averaging 12.3 ppg on 58.7% shooting the six games prior. Including the regular season, Rockets are 19-2 when he scores 10+ points and 34-2 when he has 2+ 3FGM.
Luc Mbah a Moute admitted after Game 1 on Monday that he still lacks confidence in his injured right shoulder. Mbah a Moute was 0-of-6 from the floor in 17 minutes during Houston’s loss to the Warriors in Game 1. Three of those six misses came at the rim on missed layups.
“I can’t dunk it right now. I don’t trust it yet,” Mbah a Moute said. “A lot of those plays, usually they are dunks, plays I had tonight. It was just like hesitating between dunking and trying to finish when guys are coming at you. It’s a little tough, but I’ll make that adjustment.”
How to Bet Warriors at Rockets NBA Odds & Game 2 Info
When: Wednesday, 9 PM ET Where: Toyota Center, Houston TV: TNT Stream: NBA League Pass Radio: 95.7 FM (Golden State) / 790 AM (Houston) NBA Odds: Rockets -1.5 (224.5)Why Bet on Golden State’s NBA Odds?
The Warriors have still lost just three playoff games since adding Kevin Durant. They are a juggernaut. The Dubs took Game 1, 119-106, breaking open a tie game at the half with a big third quarter – just like they have done all season. No team has been better in the third quarter. Durant scored 37 points and had three rebounds and an assist in the win. It was his fourth 30-point game of these playoffs. At one point Durant was caught on camera saying, “Can’t guard me,” while Trevor Ariza was on him. Good call. Durant scored 27 of his 37 points on isolation plays. Klay Thompson scored 28 points while going 6-of-15 from three to go along with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Klay made a postseason-high six 3-pointers, including three in the fourth. Thompson’s 28 made up for somewhat quiet nights from Draymond Green and Steph Curry. Curry had 18 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Green had five points, nine rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocks. Curry acknowledged after Monday’s Game 1 win in Houston that he tweaked “something” during the second half, but he played through it. He’ll be in there. Green, meanwhile, drew a technical foul just a minute into Game 1 for pushing James Harden. Durant, Curry and Thompson took 60 of the Warriors 80 shots in Game 1 vs the Rockets. That is the highest percentage of FGA (75%) that particular trio has ever taken in a game for Golden State. Durant logged his 19th career playoff game with 35 points while shooting at least 50% from the field. Steve Kerr improved to 14-1 in Game 1s, the best record in NBA postseason history among coaches with a minimum of 5 Game 1s. In Game 2 of the NBA Playoffs the Warriors have a 34-31 record (12-2 since 2015). The Warriors have won their last 10 Game 2s. The last time the Warriors lost the second game of a playoff series was in the 2015 NBA Finals when they fell to the Cavaliers in a 95-93 overtime loss on June 7, 2015.Why Bet on Houston’s NBA Odds?
James Harden scored 41 points and shot 5-of-9 from deep and had four rebounds and seven assists in Houston’s Game 1 loss. He scored at will throughout the entire game, dropping 24 by halftime in just 16 minutes. But Harden got little help and ran too many isolation plays. Harden became the 1st player in NBA history to score 40 points in three straight Game 1s to open up a postseason. Harden and Shaquille O’Neal (2000) are the only players in NBA history with 3 40-point Game 1s in a single postseason.
Chris Paul scored 23 points and had 11 rebounds, three assists and a steal. CP3 couldn’t follow up his 41-point performance in the series-clincher over the Jazz with an encore, but he still managed a double-double and led the team in rebounds. Monday was just the 6th game the Rockets have lost this season in which Harden, Paul and Clint Capela all played (were 50-5 entering Game 1).
Eric Gordon had 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting in Game 1 after having a total of 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting the two games prior. He shot 3-of-7 from 3-point range in Game 1 after shooting 2-of-24 from behind-the-arc in three regular season games vs. G.S. (21-30 inside-the-arc).
P.J. Tucker had just one point on 0-of-3 shooting in Game 1 after averaging 12.3 ppg on 58.7% shooting the six games prior. Including the regular season, Rockets are 19-2 when he scores 10+ points and 34-2 when he has 2+ 3FGM.
Luc Mbah a Moute admitted after Game 1 on Monday that he still lacks confidence in his injured right shoulder. Mbah a Moute was 0-of-6 from the floor in 17 minutes during Houston’s loss to the Warriors in Game 1. Three of those six misses came at the rim on missed layups.
“I can’t dunk it right now. I don’t trust it yet,” Mbah a Moute said. “A lot of those plays, usually they are dunks, plays I had tonight. It was just like hesitating between dunking and trying to finish when guys are coming at you. It’s a little tough, but I’ll make that adjustment.”
Latest NBA Betting Trends
- Warriors are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings in Houston
- Golden State is 6-1 SU in the last 7 games
- The total went UNDER in 4 of Golden State’s last 5 games
- Houston is 3-6 ATS in the last 9 games at home
- Houston is 19-6 SU in the last 25 games
- The total went UNDER in 13 of Houston’s last 19 games
