Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors 02/20/20 NBA Betting Odds and Prediction

The Houston Rockets take their act to the Chase Center where they will test their small-ball lineup against the woeful Golden State Warriors.

The Rockets traded Clint Capela at the trade deadline and acquired Robert Covington in the deal. They also acquired two veteran forwards to fill in their remaining roster spots. Houston has won five out of their last seven games played and they are the current Southwest Division leaders. The Warriors are trying to get by a difficult season. Injuries to the Splash Brothers and the Kevin Durant trade saw Golden State’s fortunes reversed from being the Western Conference champions last season to the worst team in the league this year.

Firming up Their Roster

The Houston Rockets are firming up their roster in preparation for the postseason. Houston is currently 34-20 on the season, 1st in the Southwest Division and 5th in the Western Conference team standings. With the playoffs in sight, the Rockets traded for Robert Covington at the trade deadline and then signed free agents Jeff Green and DeMarre Carroll to fill their remaining roster spots.

Houston has won just once in their last three games after a four-game winning streak. However, the Rockets are coming off a huge 116-105 win over the Boston Celtics in their final assignment before the All-Star break. James Harden spearheaded the Rockets attack with 42 points while Russell Westbrook added 36 in their win over Boston.

The Rockets are the second-highest scoring team in the league this season at 118.2 points per game. They rank 13th off the glass with an average of 45.6 rebounds per game but are next to last in passing at 21.4 assists per game. Houston is also just 22nd in scoring defense as they are allowing their opponents to score 114.5 points per game on the year.

Finishing a Disastrous Season

While the Rockets are preparing for the playoffs, the Golden State Warriors are merely finishing a disastrous season. Golden State lost Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets, lost both Steph Curry and Klay Thompson to injuries and then ended up trading D’Angelo Russell for Andrew Wiggins. The Dubs are 12-43 on the year, worst in the league, after winning the NBA championship in three out of the previous four seasons.

Alec Burks leads the Warriors in scoring at 16.1 points per game this season. Eric Paschall is putting up 13.2 points and 4.7 boards per contest while Glen Robinson III and Damian Lee are also averaging in double-digit scoring. Andrew Wiggins is averaging 23.0 points per game in his first three games with the Warriors.

The Warriors are 5th from the bottom in scoring at 106.3 points per game on the season. They are ranked 23rd in rebounding at 43.1 boards grabbed per contest and are 12th in passing at 25.2 assists per game. Golden State is 24th in scoring defense at 114.7 opponents points per game allowed.

Who Wins?

Houston is 5-2 SU in their last seven games played. The Rockets are 2-3 SU in their last five games played on the road, and 8-2 SU in their last 10 February games. Golden State is 3-17 SU in their last 20 games played. The Warriors are 1-9 SU in their last 10 games played at home. Head to head, the Warriors are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games played against the Rockets.

The Rockets snapped a two-game skid by defeating Eastern Conference powerhouse Boston in their last assignment before the break. Houston is 5-2 SU in their last seven games played and although they have lost their ceiling with Capela gone, they have added plenty of veteran presence in Covington, Green, and Carroll.

Golden State traded D’Angelo Russell even before he could play with both Splash Brothers. Andrew Wiggins is so far playing great in his three games with the Dubs. However, this is a lost season for the Warriors as they have the worst record in the league. They are merely playing for pride but at this stage of the year, it might be better to play for the lottery.

The Rockets are out to prove that they can win it all using a small ball. That remains to be seen though because a seven-game playoff series is different from the regular season. We aren’t in the postseason yet and Golden State has struggled all season long, even at home. Look for the Rockets to pick up the win here.

Prediction: Houston Rockets

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Other Bets to Make

The Rockets are 4-2 ATS in their last six games played. Houston is 2-3 ATS in their last five games played on the road, and 2-4 ATS in their last six games against the Western Conference. The Warriors are 4-2 ATS in their last six games played. Golden State is 1-3 ATS in their last four games played at home, 4-8 ATS in their last 12 games against the Southwest Division, and 6-12 ATS in their last 18 February games. Head to head, the Rockets are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games played against the Warriors.

The Warriors added Andrew Wiggins before the trade deadline and he has given Steve Kerr a 20-point scorer. However, the Rockets are one of the top offensive teams in the league and boast of the NBA’s top scorer in James Harden. I think Houston has too many offensive weapons for the Dubs to stop.

Prediction: Rockets -10

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The total has gone under in five out of the last six games played by the Rockets. Houston has seen the total go under in three out of their last five games played on the road. The total has gone over in six out of the last 10 games played by the Warriors. The over is 3-1 in Golden State’s last four games played at the Chase Center and also 4-1 in their last five games played against the Western Conference. Head to head, the over is 4-2 in the last six meetings between these two teams. The under is 4-1 in their last five encounters at the Bay Area.

The Rockets have scored at least 116 points in their last 12 wins and they are the second-highest scoring team in the league this season. Golden State doesn’t score too many points but given that Houston is in the bottom 10 in scoring defense and the Warriors have the 7th worst defense in the league this season, I expect a wild west shootout here. I like James Harden and Russell Westbrook to score at will here.

Prediction: Over 232

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