The Golden State Warriors finally overcame their toughest obstacle with a monstrous win over the Cavaliers and are rolling as they get set to hit the road in the first game of a stretch that’ll have them playing nine games on the road in their next 12. On Friday, they’ll take on the Houston Rockets who are one of just three teams to have beaten the Warriors since the beginning of November.
At 8 p.m. ET, tune into ESPN for live television coverage of this NBAA basketball game on Friday, January 20, 2017, at the Toyota Center.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Friday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Houston has had a really good season, but had lost back-to-back games before it was able to bounce back with a win on Sunday night against an easy opponent in Brooklyn.
The Rockets did cover the spread on Sunday, but have still gone just 1-3 ATS in their last four games. They’re a very strong 27-16 ATS overall, but have fallen back a bit of late as the odds makers have caught up to their success. On the flip side, the Warriors remain one of the worst teams in the NBA against the spread, largely a product of their own success and the lofty expectations bettors have heaped on them as a result.
Golden State, however, got a massively large win over Cleveland on Monday to give them back-to-back victories ATS for the first time since before Christmas. It seems the Warriors may have taken things to a new level, but we’ll see how that plays out as they continue to push through a very tough few games in their schedule.
Player to Watch
Draymond Green was the real difference maker in the Warriors’ 126-91 win over Cleveland on Monday.
With Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, Green is often overlooked on this team, but while the number of shots available to him has dwindled this season, he’s been a huge factor in the middle of the court with 8.7 rebounds per game and a number of steals and blocks. He’s also provided a ton of assists for a forward.
Against the Cavs, Green produced a triple-double, scoring 11 points while notching 11 assists and 13 rebounds. He also added five blocks.
Houston is a talented team that can run up the score on offense, ranking second only to the Warriors in scoring. Obviously, James Harden is the focal point in that offense, but the team’s bulked up the supporting cast around him. The team’s strength is still on the outside with Harden and Eric Gordon. That matches up with Curry and Thompson, but inside the team has a number of players from Trevor Ariza to Clint Capela that can be significant factors.
At center, Zaza Pachulia is the team’s weakest starting player and while Durant is a huge name, he’s more of an offensive threat than a defensive one. Pachulia did notch 13 rebounds against Cleveland, but that was his first time hitting double-digits in nearly a month.
With Curry, Thompson and Durant the primary offensive threats, the team relies on Green to do everything else while also delivering important shots and baskets from time-to-time as well.
Scheduling Situation
Houston currently boasts a better record than Cleveland with a .744 winning percentage which gives the Warriors yet another tough games, this one on the road.
The team beat Cleveland at home on Monday and has an Oklahoma City team with MVP-candidate Russell Westbrook dominating the floor on tap for Wednesday night. That then leads to just their second road game in 10-games on Friday. That’s quite the trio of opponents and we’ve already seen Golden State falter on the road in their last few games against some of the more elite level opponents with losses in Cleveland and Memphis over the last month and a half.
On the other side of the hardwood, the Rockets have a nice middle-of-the-road opponent in the Bucks on Wednesday night at home before hosting the Warriors. Of course, they do go back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday, but have a day to recuperate.
Free NBA ATS Picks
Having last met at the beginning of December, the Rockets toppled the Warriors in a high scoring affair that went to second overtime.
Houston came out on top with a superior shooting performance both outside the arc and overall, but it was the Warriors that had the best performance of the game—at least in terms of scoring as Durant led all players with his 39-points. Interestingly, however, Thompson had a down game, shooting just four for 20.
In the end, Houston’s offense showed that it could match Golden State blow for blow as they managed eight more points in the paint and were just one back of the Warriors’ 25 fast break points.
Perhaps most telling, that game was played at the Oracle Arena where the Warriors are traditionally even better than they are away from home.
With their last meeting points in Houston’s favor, the Warriors will be well motivated for revenge, though that’s less of a factor in basketball than it is on the gridiron.
Nevertheless, while I do look for a repeat with another close, high-scoring game, I don’t look for a repeat for the winner. The Warriors have taken their game up yet another level and while they now have to hit the road after a long stay at home, they should be able to carry that over. They have a deeper roster than the Houston team that’s struggled a bit over the last week.
NBA Odds: Warriors 121, Rockets 116
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