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The top two seeds in the Western Conference meet in the finals when the Houston Rockets (8-4 SU, 7-5 ATS) visit the Golden State Warriors (8-2 SU, 5-5 ATS) Tuesday in Game One. You can watch the game live on ESPN.
The Rockets did the unimaginable coming back from a 3-1 series deficit to knock off the Clippers in Game Seven 113-100 on Sunday advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1997. It’s the ninth time in NBA history that a team has overcome a 3-1 series deficit to win a playoff series. The Rockets lost all four regular season games to Golden State by double-digits but will have a roster that’s as close to full strength as it can be for this series.
For the first time since 1976 the Warriors will play in a conference final game after their own comeback in the semifinal round. Golden State trailed Memphis two games to one after dropping two straight for just the fifth time this season – they haven’t lost three in a row. The Dubs made adjustments and cruised in the final three games looking like the NBA’s best regular season team in the process. The under is 4-0-1 in Golden State’s five home playoff games but expect points to be scored in this series with plenty of threes.
KEY INJURY
Warriors reserve forward Marreese Speights will not play Tuesday, according to coach Steve Kerr. Speights suffered a calf injury in Game Three of the conference semifinal series against Memphis and will be out for at least the start of this series, meaning more playing time for David Lee, who saw his role increase in the second half of the Memphis series.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I don’t think we all came together just to get to the Western Conference finals. All of us are in pursuit of that ring. We’re happy, but none of us are satisfied. We just have that focus about us, and we want to win. It’s not going to be easy, and we don’t want it to be. We want to fight for it – for what we think is ours.” – Rockets forward Dwight Howard
BETTING TRENDS
- Houston is 2-5 ATS in its last seven road games.
- Golden State is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games overall.
- The OVER is 8-2 in Houston’s last 10 games overall.
KEY STATS
10: The Rockets are 6-1 this postseason when forward Josh Smith scores 10 or more points. He scored 15 Sunday in the series-clinching win over the Clippers.
14: Golden State hit a team playoff record 15 three-pointers in its series-clinching win over Memphis on Friday and became the first team since 1985 to make 14 or more in three straight playoff games.
111.4: Houston leads the NBA in postseason scoring with 111.4 points per game, scoring better than 110 points seven times, including the last three.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Something happened to the Houston Rockets on the way to being eliminated from the playoffs. They adopted an us-against-the-world mentality as most everyone counted them out when they were one game away from their season ending. The Rockets will need every bit of that approach and more against Golden State, the favorite to emerge from the West. But Houston has to have a feeling of invincibility now after storming back following a pair of embarrassing losses in LA to fall into a series deficit that only eight team’s had previously overcome. The Rockets made history becoming the ninth to do it. If anything the Rockets know they can comeback from a series deficit and a seemingly insurmountable point differential when they need to.
After dispatching the grind-it-out Memphis Grizzlies the Warriors will have a tougher challenge against the long-range shooting the Rockets bring. Memphis didn’t threaten the Dubs from distance and Golden State packed the paint to prevent Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph from beating them. The strategy worked as the Griz were unable to convert from the perimeter. The Rockets bring a different element for the Warriors to defend, but they should be prepared. The Rockets made and attempted the most three-point field goals during the regular season while the Griz were next to last in both categories. The Warriors have their own prolific three-point shooters and a bench that’s as long as Manute Bol’s wingspan.
It’s fitting that the top two teams, both that haven’t been in this position for some time, meet in the conference finals. The MVP and the runner-up will be duking it out for the right to play for the whole enchilada. After dealing with numerous injuries during the regular season, the Rockets are as close to having a full roster as they can be. Of course starting point guard Patrick Beverley was lost for the year with a wrist injury, but Dwight Howard and Terrance Jones will be playing after missing a majority of the regular season. The Warriors swept the season series doing what they do best – scoring points and making threes – led by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Golden 114, Houston 106
BookMaker will be the first sportsbook to send out NBA odds for this game. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next half. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! Bet on the NBA today as the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors square off Tuesday, May 19, 2015, at 6 p.m. ET at Oracle Arena. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
