Warriors vs. Rockets Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Playoffs Game 2

After stealing Game 1 in Houston, the Golden State Warriors are aiming to take a commanding 2-0 series lead on Wednesday night before things shift to Chase Center for Games 3 and 4.

The Houston Rockets struggled mightily offensively in Game 1, scoring just 85 points while leading scorer Jalen Green shot 3-for-15 from the field. Alperen Sengun had his way in the paint, but Houston simply did not have enough offensive firepower to keep up with Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler on Sunday night.

Despite that, oddsmakers have set the Rockets as favorites in Game 2 to even the series. These teams have now played six times this season, and basically every matchup has been a close game, as the two most lopsided wins were each by 10 points.

Curry and Butler turned in vintage playoff performances in Game 1, but can they continue to get things done for Golden State while playing heavy minutes?

Here’s a look at the latest odds, players to bet on in the prop market and my prediction for Game 2.

Warriors vs. Rockets Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

Warriors +2.5 (-110)
Rockets -2.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Warriors: +120
Rockets: -142

Total

204 (Over -110/Under -110)

Warriors vs. Rockets How to Watch

Date: Wednesday, April 23
Time: 9:30 p.m. EST
Venue: Toyota Center
How to Watch (TV): TNT
Series: Warriors lead 1-0

Warriors vs. Rockets Injury Reports

Warriors Injury Report

Steph Curry – available
Gary Payton II – available

Rockets Injury Report

Jock Landale – out
Jae’Sean Tate – out

Warriors vs. Rockets Best NBA Prop Bets

Golden State Warriors Best NBA Prop Bet

Jimmy Butler OVER 22.5 Points (-105)

Butler scored 25 points in Game 1 against Houston, taking 19 shots and six free throws to help lead Golden State to a road win.

Since the end of the regular season, Butler has really flipped the switch as a scorer, putting up 24 or more points in each of his last five games. He also played over 40 minutes in the Game 1 win for the Warriors.

If Butler’s usage remains this high, he’s a must bet as a scorer for a Golden State team that doesn’t have many options on offense after him and Curry.

Houston has done a good job limiting the Warriors’ scoring this season, but if Butler is going to put up around 20 shot attempts, he’s going to be in the mix to score 23 or more points every night.

Houston Rockets Best NBA Prop Bet

Jabari Smith Jr. OVER 5.5 Rebounds (-125)

Jabari Smith Jr. averaged 7.0 rebounds per game during the regular season, and he had six rebounds in Game 1 of this series despite playing less than 26 minutes.

Smith was one of the more effective offensive players for Houston, which struggled shooting overall in Game 1.

The Rockets also had a whopping 22 (!!) offensive rebounds in their Game 1 loss, as they picked on Golden State’s lack of size all night long. Smith finished the regular season with six straight games where he grabbed seven or more boards.

This line is way too low for him entering Game 2.

Warriors vs. Rockets Prediction and Pick

After matching up five times in the regular season and once in the playoffs, the Warriors and Rockets have played five straight games where the total has fallen short of 204 points, and they combined for just 180 points in Game 1 of this series.

There are a few reasons why I like the UNDER in this game once again on Wednesday.

First off, Golden State has the No. 1 defensive rating in the NBA since the All-Star break, and it showed in Game 1 that it can contain Fred VanVleet (4-for-19 from the field) and Jalen Green (3-for-15 from the field).

Yes, Houston dominated on the offensive glass, but it still didn’t generate enough good looks to have a decent offensive game. Houston finished the regular season with the worst clutch time field goal percentage in the NBA (38.1 percent), and that was evident down the stretch again in Game 1.

The Rockets also did a great job defensively on the Warriors, holding just about everyone outside of Curry and Butler in check. Those two stars are going to get their points, but the Warriors have failed to score over 100 points as a team in four of six meetings with the Rockets this season.

On top of that, these teams played at a slow pace in Game 1 (89.0) which leaves less chances for fastbreak points and extra possessions to push this total over. While it dropped 8.5 points from where it was in Game 1, I think betting the under on the total is the move once again.

Pick: UNDER 204 (-110 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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