It all comes down to this. The Golden State Warriors shook off a slow start to defend home court last time out and force a Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals. The Houston Rockets will head home hoping to take advantage of the raucous crowd on their side to claim the series and advance to the NBA Finals.
Golden State is the defending champion and, even on the road, is going to be a tough team to beat in this winner-take-all matchup. All NBA fans are going to be glued to their television in what should be a fantastic ending to an intriguing series.
The Rockets are the underdogs in Game 7 by a pretty big gap because star point guard Chris Paul may not be able to play due to his hamstring issue. Houston would hate to see an injury derail such a magical season and will aim to overcome it to punch its ticket to the NBA Finals in NBA basketball wagering.
Game 7 of this NBA Playoff Series is on Monday, May 28, 2018 at 9 p.m. ET at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The contest will be nationally televised on TNT.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
Odds Analysis
The Warriors have been pegged as the 5.5-point favorites, which is the largest margin of the series in games played in Houston. It is so high because of Paul’s injury and should decrease if he is able to play. The Warriors are getting about 64 percent of the early action to cover the spread.
The scoring total is listed at 209 points as this series has consistently gone “under” despite a pair of great offenses. The “over” is the more popular choice.
The Warriors are listed as the -235 favorites on the moneyline while the Rockets are an intriguing wager at +195. Nearly 77 percent of the action is on Houston to pull the upset and pay off nicely.
Last Time Out
The Rockets came out red hot in Game 6, outscoring Golden State 39-22 in the first half on their way to a 61- 51 lead at halftime. But, after trailing by as many as 17 points in the first two quarters, the Warriors came charging back in the last two to not only complete the comeback, but do it blow-out style, winning 115-86 to force a Game 7.
Klay Thompson finished as Golden State’s leading scorer with 35 points, including nine 3-pointers. Steph Curry added another 29 points and Kevin Durant had 23. The Rockets, who were without Paul in Game 6, scored only 25 points in the second half after a hot start.
James Harden led the way with 32 points and nine assists but he didn’t get enough help.
Injury Report
Paul hurt his hamstring near the end of Game 5 and was a spectator for Game 6 in Oakland. He will surely do everything he can to play in the final contest but reports are pessimistic that he can be on the floor.
While Harden is a great player, the lack of a second dynamic option to break down the defense severely limits Houston’s offensive ability. If Paul can play, the Rockets’ odds of winning will get a big boost.
The Warriors have been without small forward Andre Iguodala the past three games because of a knee bruise. He badly wants to play and this is another player that will be one to watch. While Iguodala isn’t a star he is an important glue guy for Golden State.
Free NBA ATS Picks
Paul’s injury has changed the complexion of this series. The Rockets have a very good team and are playing at home, but if their second-best player sits, as expected, it will be tough to beat the star-studded Warriors.
Golden State won’t be intimidated by the environment as it has plenty of big-game experience. The Warriors are the pick to go to Houston and head home with an NBA Finals berth by taking care of business. They are also the choice against the spread in NBA basketball gambling.
NBA ATS Pick: Warriors 109, Rockets 98
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
