Best bets, player props for Warriors-Rockets
With only one NBA playoff game on tap for Saturday, we dive into the best bets and player props to consider for Game 3 between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.
Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets
Line: Rockets -3.5
Total: 220.5
Most teams could look at a pair of close losses on the road against the Warriors and use it as a positive. Momentum, if you will.
But the Rockets are attempting to shed the albatross that is coming up just short against the perennial champions, and close losses don't mean much in the postseason.
After falling to Golden State in a seven-game tilt last season, Houston's in an early 0-2 hole entering Game 3. The Rockets covered the spread in a drama-filled series opener, then lost by six as five-point underdogs on Tuesday. They took three of four regular-season matchups outright and have covered four of the previous six against the Warriors.
The series now shifts to Houston, where the Rockets have been cooking. Houston enters Saturday on a 7-1-1 run against the spread in its last 10 home games and 10-4 in its last 14 overall dating back to the regular season. Meanwhile, the Dubs are 1-6 against the spread following a straight-up win and haven't covered consecutive spreads since April 2-4.
Arguably the most interesting betting tidbit for Saturday? Houston is allowing just 96.8 points per game in its last five postseason home games, with all five opponents going under the team total.
We think a low-scoring Houston win - and cover - is in the cards for Game 3.
Steph Curry Over/Under 25.5 points
Curry suffered a dislocated finger in Tuesday's win. He gutted it out, however, posting 20 points on 6-of-16 shooting. Golden State's star guard has yet to get it going in the second round and hasn't lit it up against the Rockets in some time, scoring 25 points or fewer in each of the previous four meetings.
Andre Iguodala Over/Under 10.5 points
Now in his sixth season with the Dubs, Iguodala has settled into a secondary role. He averaged a career-low 5.7 points per game during the regular season but has kicked it up a notch in the playoffs with double-digit point totals in five of the last six games. He obviously doesn't mind his matchup against Houston, reaching double digits in four of the previous five postseason games against the Rockets.
James Harden Over/Under 41.5 points + assists
After opening the postseason with two double-doubles and a triple-double in his first three games, Harden has been relatively quiet on the stat sheet. He's gone four straight games without hitting 42 combined points and assists and hasn't reached that number in four of his five games against the Warriors this season.
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.