Game 1 Preview: Warriors vs Rockets – Predictions, Player Props, and Odds

• The Golden State Warriors visit the Houston Rockets on Sunday in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series
• The Rockets are slight home favorites
• See the Warriors vs Rockets predictions, player props, and best available odds on April 20

The Golden State Warriors (48-34, 24-17 away, ATS) and Houston Rockets (52-30, 29-12 home, ATS) meet in a huge Game 1 of their first-round, best-of-seven series on Sunday night at the Toyota Center in Houston (8:30 pm CT/9:30 pm ET).

The Golden State vs Houston series price favors Golden State, but the Game 1 Warriors vs Rockets odds slightly favor the home team. As discussed in the final section of this article, Houston is either a -1.0 or -1.5 favorite as of noon ET in Sunday’s NBA odds.

Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets Predictions

• Warriors moneyline (+100) at FanDuel
• Under 213.0 (-105) at Caesars
• Jimmy Butler over 22.5 points (-110) at DraftKings

The Warriors won the season series against the Rockets (3-2) and covered in four of the five matchups. But the main reason I’m backing the Warriors tonight is experience. The combination of Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler absolutely went off in Golden State’s 121-116 win over Memphis, scoring 37 and 38 points, respectively.

Houston has a stout defense, which finished fifth in the NBA in D-Rating and is the main reason the Rockets were able to lock up the #2 seed. But so did Memphis (7th in D-Rating) and the Rockets are going to find defending Steph and “Playoff Jimmy” a different beast. Very few players on the Houston roster have meaningful postseason experience. It’s really just Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, and neither of them has won a playoff series since 2022.

Warriors vs ROCkets Regular-Season Scores

Oddsmakers opened the Warriors as -250 favorites to win the series and that’s now been bet down to just -180. But I will happily fade the public there. While -250 felt a bit short, I see the Warriors coming out of this series, and Curry/Butler should have a ton of urgency to steal home-court advantage in Game 1. The NBA championship odds list Golden State as the +1600 fourth-favorite while Houston is a +6500 longshot.

GSW vs HOU Player Props

NBA props from DraftKings Sportsbook on April 20. Download the top NBA betting apps before the NBA playoffs.

Steph Curry (24.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.0 APG) and Jimmy Butler (17.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.9 APG) have the highest point totals at 24.5 and 22.5, respectively. Alperen Sengun (19.1 PPG, 10.43 RPG, 4.9 APG) leads the Rockets players at 20.5 followed closely by Jalen Green (21.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.4 APG) at 19.5.

Curry and Butler combined to score 75 of Golden State’s 121 points (61.98%) in the team’s 121-116 play-in victory over Memphis, which locked up the #7 seed for the Dubs.

Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets Odds

The Warriors/Rockets point spread is down to Rockets -1.0 at most sportsbooks but BetMGM still has the number at 1.5, which makes it the best option for Warriors backers. On the moneyline, the best price on the Warriors is even-money at FanDuel and DraftKings, while Caesars has the best Rockets price tag at -110.

There is a full one-point range in the Warriors/Rockets game total, which is as low as 212.0 at DraftKings and as high as 213.0 at Caesars.

Sunday’s NBA public betting splits show the Warriors getting most of ATS handle (62% of money on 59% of wagers) and the majority of moneyline handle, as well (58% of ML money on 63% of wagers). The public’s strongest take is reserved for the game total, where 93% of handle and 94% of tickets are on the over.

The highly anticipated Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets is just around the corner, and fans are buzzing with excitement. Both teams have had impressive playoff runs so far, and this series is expected to be a thrilling showdown between two of the top teams in the NBA.

The Warriors, led by superstars Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, are coming off a dominant series against the New Orleans Pelicans where they swept their opponents in four games. The defending champions are looking to make their fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals and will be a tough team to beat.

On the other hand, the Rockets, led by MVP candidate James Harden and Chris Paul, are coming off a hard-fought series against the Utah Jazz where they won in five games. The Rockets have been on a mission this season to dethrone the Warriors and prove that they are the best team in the league.

As we look ahead to Game 1, there are a few key factors to consider. The Warriors will have home-court advantage, which could give them an edge in the series. However, the Rockets have proven themselves to be a formidable opponent and have the talent and depth to compete with the Warriors.

In terms of player props, all eyes will be on Curry, Durant, Harden, and Paul. These four players are expected to have a major impact on the outcome of the game and will likely be the focus of many betting lines. Look for Curry and Durant to light up the scoreboard for the Warriors, while Harden and Paul will look to lead the Rockets to victory.

As for the odds, the Warriors are currently favored to win Game 1, with most sportsbooks giving them a slight edge over the Rockets. However, anything can happen in the playoffs, and the Rockets are more than capable of pulling off an upset on the road.

Overall, Game 1 between the Warriors and Rockets is shaping up to be an exciting matchup between two powerhouse teams. Fans can expect a high-scoring game with plenty of highlight-reel plays from some of the best players in the league. Be sure to tune in and see who comes out on top in this epic showdown.