It has been an absolute joy watching Stephen Curry in these first 11 games. The two-time NBA MVP has turned back the clock, delivering memorable performance after memorable performance, helping his Warriors go off on an eight-game winning streak. That streak will be put to the test on Wednesday as Curry and company head to Houston for a date with the Rockets. This will be the first meeting between the two teams and what could be a potential playoff series preview down the road. Golden State’s biggest concern is its interior presence, or lack thereof. Yaxel Lendeborg has impressed in his first 11 games as a pro, but can he handle the likes of Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun down low?
Houston comes into this game following an impressive 110-100 win over Denver on Monday. The Rockets remain one of the most reliable teams against the spread this season, having covered in eight of 11 games. In 6 games at the Toyota Center they have failed to cover only once, so the 6.5-point spread shouldn’t discourage potential bettors. Defense is what got the Rockets to this point; they allow the lowest three-point percentage at just 31.3%. Houston also has the ability to disrupt the flow of the opposing offense, allowing only the fourth-fewest assists per game (23.8). This team also rarely falls behind by a big margin; opponents’ average biggest lead against the Rockets has been just 5.9 points.
As much as I enjoy watching Curry go off, in order to beat this Rockets team the Warriors need a lot more than just that. Houston is the real deal. Apart from two minor slip-ups against Minnesota and Phoenix, the Rockets have been one of the more consistent teams in the league. I’ll back them to end the Warriors’ win streak.
Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets prediction: Houston -6.5 (+106) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.
