Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets 5/16/18, Prediction & Odds

Warriors vs. Rockets Prediction

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was dominated by the Golden State Warriors as they pulled away in the second half at the Houston Rockets. Is Houston going to bounce back as a small favorite in Game 2 tonight?

Game Snapshot

501 Golden State Warriors at 502 Houston Rockets

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Toyota Center at 9PM ET

TV: TNT

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Public Betting Information

According to oddsmakers, the Rockets are a 1.5-point favorite on the spread line. The total sits at 224.5 points. As of Wednesday morning, 60 percent of public bets are coming in on host Houston. Check out our NBA Public Betting Page for the latest information.

Durant fills it up in win 

Golden State small forward Kevin Durant didn't do a whole lot in terms of additional statistics Monday night in Game 1 as he only grabbed three rebounds and had one assist plus a blocked show in the 119-106 win at the Rockets. But what he did do was score points, putting in 37 on 14-of-27 shooting including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. He was also 6-of-6 from the free throw line. He is now averaging 28.8 points per game in 11 postseason contests. Shooting guard Klay Thompson added 28 points, going 9-of-18 from the floor and 6-of-15 on 3-point attempts.

Harden pours in 41 in defeat

Houston shooting guard James Harden did everything he could to keep his squad afloat in Game 1 as he registered 41 points on 14-of-24 shooting, making 5-of-9 3-pointers and going 8-of-10 from the charity stripe in 35 minutes. Chris Paul added a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds plus three assists. Eric Gordon scored 15 off the bench, while center Clint Capela added 12 points along with six rebounds and three assists. The game was tied 56-56 at halftime before the Warriors were the better team after the break.

NBA Betting Trends

Golden State

The Warriors are 5-1 ATS in their last six games in Houston. The under is 4-0 in the last four Golden State road games.

Houston

The under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in Houston. The under is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings overall.

Prediction:

The biggest surprise for me in Game 1 is that Harden only played 35 minutes. He sat on the bench during crucial sequences in the second half when Golden State pulled away. I expect Harden to see closer to 40 minutes tonight and the results should translate positively for the hosts. Houston is favored for a reason and I think this series will be evened at 1-1 heading to the Bay Area.

NBA DAILY PREDICTION: HOUSTON ROCKETS -1.5

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