With two straight losses to kick off the postseason, the Houston Rockets are 8-11 straight up and against the spread in their last 19 games. The Rockets will try to avoid falling to 0-3 in their first-round series with a Game 3 win at home over the Golden State Warriors.
Warriors vs. Rockets 2016 NBA playoffs odds: Houston a home underdog for Game 3
The Houston Rockets will be looking to score a home upset over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday as betting underdogs at the sportsbooks.
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Houston is a 6-point home underdog for Game 3 at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Golden State’s Stephen Curry was listed as questionable for the game with an ankle injury as of Wednesday night, and any update to his status could have an immediate impact on the game line.
After getting completely blown out in a 104-78 loss in the series opener, the Rockets had a big opportunity to steal a game on the road when Curry was ruled out of Game 2 with the ankle injury.
But even with Curry sidelined, the Rockets were unable to defend Golden State’s offensive attack, eventually losing the game 115-106 as an 8.5-point underdog. Houston is just 1-14 SU and 4-11 ATS in its last 15 games against the Warriors.
If the Rockets are going to make this a series, they must do so with strong performances at home. Houston is 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS in its last 10 playoff home games per the OddsShark NBA Database.
Klay Thompson led the offense with Curry out in Game 2, scoring 34 points including a 15-of-16 day from the free-throw line. Shaun Livingston added 16 points filling in for Curry at point guard, and Andre Iguodala had 18 points coming off the bench.
The game served as a reminder that as good as Curry is, the Warriors also have a deep team around him. The win in Game 2 brought Golden State’s season record to 75-9 SU and 45-36-3 ATS.
Thursday’s total is set at 217.5 points on the NBA betting lines. The OVER is 4-2 in Houston’s last six playoff home games and 3-1 in the last four games between these two teams.
Curry has expressed that he wants to play in Game 3, but Steve Kerr will likely be extremely cautious with his superstar point guard. With or without Curry, the Warriors are a formidable opponent that will put Houston to the test on Thursday night.
