Warriors Heavy First Round Favorites Over Rockets

On Tuesday night, the Warriors officially locked up the No. 7 seed — a one-way ticket to a first round matchup with longtime West rival Houston.

Golden State coasted to a close win over the Grizzlies via a late onslaught from superstar Steph Curry. And with their new-look roster, will again look to oust the Rockets from the Playoffs.

For now, it seems many think that could happen, as the Warriors sit as heavy favorites at -194 to win the series per FanDuel. The Warriors and Clippers are the only two lower Western seeds projected to win their respective series, with LA being just one seed behind Denver.

For head coach Ime Udoka and the Rockets, this likely only adds fuel to the fire of an already hungry team. Houston has prided itself on being the underdog essentially all season, and likely won’t change its tune as it heads into the NBA Playoffs.

Few likely expect Houston to make a deep postseason run, still being one of the youngest teams in the league with only a few players having experience. Even more, the Warriors have long been a thorn in the Rockets’ side, dating all the way back to James Harden’s days wearing Rockets red. Additionally, Golden State has been one of the hottest teams in the league since acquiring forward Jimmy Butler from Miami.

In fact, Houston was only able to break a 15-game losing streak to Golden State this season in December, still failing to win the season series, 2-3.

Regardless what the odds or numbers say, the Rockets are sure to bring the juice in their first postseason appearance since 2020.

- Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 

- If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.