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Spread Pick: Golden State WarriorsHome with handicap -10.5 at 1.90
Over/Under: Under 219.5 at 1.90 Bet Now!
20/05/2015 02:00 – Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors
The Conference Finals get underway and it is the Western Conference Final that gets underway first. This may be slightly harsh on the Houston Rockets, who only finished their Semi-Final at the weekend but if you are going to take until Game 7 to win a series, you have to expect to pay the consequences in the next round. The Warriors should be refreshed and ready to go in this game, but it is not as if the Warriors have been anything but brilliant for the majority of the season. This is the side that many people are backing to take the NBA title this season but this is the time of year when you need to live up to the hope and expectations surrounding you.
One interesting sub-clash in the game sees MVP Stephen Curry come up against runner-up James Harden. Both players will be keen to get one over their rival, but at this stage of the season, team glory has to be more important than individual glory. Curry should be confident enough in the fact that he has the MVP in the bag but Harden will have all the incentive he needs to gun down the Warriors in this game, and in the series.
| Tipster | Tip-off | Home Team | Away Team | O/U | Odds | Free Tip | Sportsbook | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NBA tip locked in at 19/05 10:45 (Spread Result: 99.5-106, Totals: 216) | ||||||||||
| andrew | 20/05 02:00 |  | Golden State WarriorsGSW |  | Houston RocketsHOU | 219.5 | 1.90 | Under 219.5 | ||
| SPREAD | -10.5 | +10.5 | 1.90 | Golden State WarriorsGSW |  Bet ► | |||||
The Warriors have the edge over the Rockets this season
Looking back at the regular season, the Warriors are 4-0 against the Rockets, and they had an average winning margin of 15.3 points. This will lead many people to think that the Warriors are guaranteed victory in this series but that isn’t how basketball works. It should also be noted that since the two teams last clashed on January 21, 2015, the Rockets have changed quite a bit. James Harden was asked about whether the outcome of the games between the sides during the season will have any impact on this game and he said; “We’re a new team. It’s a new series.” Simple and straight to the point, but of course, Harden is spot on with what he says.
Then again, they are facing a team who grabbed a franchise record of 67 wins during the regular season, allowing them to finish 11 games ahead of the Rockets, who finished in the second place. This is the first Conference final for the Warriors since 1976, with 1975 being the last time the team from the Bay Area won the title.
It has been a long time since the Rockets made a Conference Final, although not as long as the Warriors. The Houston side were in the Finals back in 1997 and they haven’t played at the NBA Finals since they won two seasons in a row in 1994 and 1995.
Both teams showed the will to win in the Semi-Finals
Both teams showed great tenacity in their Semi-Finals, both coming from behind to win three games in a row. The Golden State Warriors were 2-1 down against the Grizzlies and the Rockets were in a more difficult state, being 3-1 down to the Los Angeles Clippers before they clinched their Finals spot in Game 7 of that series. There is a lot of debate about the physical and metal impact that the 7 game series will have on the Rockets, but until the action starts on Tuesday night, no one will really know what is going on with the team.
While a lot of the focus will fall on the battle between Curry and Harden, it is likely to be Klay Thompson from the Warriors that will be leaning on Harden. Thompson is always vital for popping up with big points in a game but he will be expected to have defensive and offensive duties in this game, and indeed, this series.
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Both teams benefit from having a great squad
It is important not to solely focus on the big name players in this series though. Yes, both teams have standout players in their squad, but a big factor in why both of the teams have made it to this stage comes with the fact that they have great squads. The Warriors can call on players like Leandro Barbosa, Shaun Livingston, David Lee and Andre Iguodala while the Rockets have benefitted from the play of Terrence Jones, Pablo Prigioni and Corey Brewer.
If there is going to be a deciding factor in the series, it may be the home form of the Warriors. The Rockets know that if they want to make their way through to the NBA Finals, they need at least one, maybe even two, wins away to Golden State, a feat that has been hard to achieve this season. The Warriors have a 43-3 home record this season, including a loss to Memphis in the last round. The last time the Rockets were successful in Oakland was in December of 2013. They will need that to change if they want to progress.
The Warriors records are second to none
The Rockets record is currently 64-30 for the season and they have a 27-18 record on the road. In their last 10 games, the Rockets are 6-4. The Warriors have a 75-17 record, which includes the previously mentioned 43-3 record at home and they currently have an 8-2 record in their last 10 games.
It will be no surprise to learn that the Warriors have the edge for average points scored and average points scored. For points scored, the Warriors lead 109.1 to 104.9 and for average points against, the Warriors lead 99.2 to 101.9.
If you are looking for the spread bet, you will find the Golden State Warriors at -10.5 at odds of 1.90, but taking them at -10 will also be of interest as well. If your thoughts are focused on the Over/Under market, you should look to go UNDER 219.5 and you should be able to find this at odds of 1.90. With home advantage and a great deal of rest, the Warriors should be looking good in Game 1, but there is a lot of basketball to be played in this series.
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