Golden State vs Houston NBA Playoffs Series Lines Report

With their regular season mission of winning 73 games now accomplished, Steph Curry and the top-seeded Golden State Warriors will look to take the first step on their quest to win consecutive NBA championships when they square off against James Harden and the eighth-seeded Houston Rockets in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series on Saturday, April 16 at 3:30 PM ET. Thanks to the expert NBA playoff betting analysis you’re about to get on this rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals, you’re going to have a great chance to cash in on each and every game in this intriguing series. Okay, let’s get down to business.

Warriors vs Rockets NBA Playoffs Series Lines Report

The playoffs begin Saturday! Here is the Rockets vs. Warriors First Round schedule. (All times are Central) pic.twitter.com/w3H4UjAdkD

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 14, 2016

Why Bet On The No. 8 Houston Rockets

The Rockets (41-41 SU, 37-45 ATS) ranked an impressive fourth in scoring during the regular season (106.5 ppg) and 14th in field goal shooting percentage (45.2 %) while also ranking 19th in three-point shooting percentage (34.7 %), 27th in free throw shooting percentage (69.4 %) and 20th in rebounding (43.1 rpg). Defensively, Houston ranked an uninspiring 25th in points allowed (106.4 ppg) while also finishing 19th in defensive field goal percentage (45.9 %), 21st in three-point defense (36.1 %), and 21st in rebounds allowed (44.6 rpg). The Rockets were 23-18 SU and 17-24 ATS at home during the regular season and 18-23 SU and 20-21 ATS on the road.

Why Bet On The No. 1 Golden State Warriors

The Warriors (73-9 SU, 45-35 ATS) ranked first in scoring during the regular season, (114.9 ppg), first in field goal shooting percentage (48.7 %) first in three-point shooting percentage (41.6 %), 16th in free throw shooting percentage (76.3 %) and a surprising fourth in rebounding (46.2 rpg). Defensively, Golden State ranked a 19th in points allowed (104.1 ppg) while also finishing third in defensive field goal percentage (43.5 %), a stellar second in three-point defense (33.2 %) and 15th in rebounds allowed (43.9 rpg). The Warriors went 39-2 SU and 22-19 ATS at home during the regular season and 34-7 SU and 23-16-2 ATS on the road.

My Series Analysis and Expert Pick

The Houston Rockets present a bunch of challenges as they can score the ball with the best teams in the league, including Golden State. Unfortunately, the lack of any sort of competent defense is what will cause the Rockets to go down and go down fairly hard in this series. Houston had just four players average double figures in scoring during the regular season, but they do have a bunch of role players like Trevor Ariza, Patrick Beverly, Corey Brewer, Terrence Jones and Clint Capela that are more than capable of putting the ball in the hole whenever called upon. Still, the Rockets won’t have an answer for Steph Curry and Klay Thompson (who does?), nor will they be able to overcome the Warriors’ raucous Oracle Arena fanatics. If the Rockets were smart, they’d go down low to Dwight Howard early and often in an effort to slow down the Dubs but they most certainly won’t as sweet-shooting ‘gunner supreme’ James Harden fires it up from everywhere. The Warriors dispatched the Rockets 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals a year ago and that looks about right for this first round series. The Dubs are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games against Houston and will win this first round series 4-1.