The Houston Rockets host Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Golden State Warriors at the Toyota Center. The game gets underway at 3:30 pm ET on Sunday, Apr. 24 and will air on ABC and C+D.
The Rockets enter this game hoping for similar success after narrowly defeating the Warriors 97-96 on Thursday. James Harden was the game’s high scorer with 35 points on 11-for-26 shooting.
The Rockets have gone 42-43 Straight Up (SU) and 37-47-1 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 42-43 SU and 37-47-1 ATS against the Western Conference. The Rockets have one of the most prolific offenses in the entire league, averaging 106.1 points per game. Transitioning to the Houston defense, opponents have consistently had the ball stolen by the Rockets, who lead the league in steals per game with 9.9. If its opponents turn the ball over, Houston has shown that it knows how to capitalize. They average 18.8 points off turnovers, making them the second-best team in the league for that category.
In the other locker room, Golden State has a SU record of 75-10 and an ATS record of 45-37-3. Against the Western Conference, Golden State is 75-10 SU and 45-37-3 ATS. They sport the top-ranked scoring offense in the league, averaging 114.5 points per game. Golden State is the top three-point shooting team in the league, connecting on 1,101 shots from three-point range (12.0 per game). The Warriors are a force on the boards, grabbing an average of 46.2 rebounds per game. The Warriors rarely make costly errors handling the ball. They have the second-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the league at 1.94. Golden State’s three-point defense is one of the top in the league, with opponents shooting only .332 from the three.
Houston beat Golden State in their most recent meeting this season, but the win was not enough to overtake Golden State in the recent head-to-head series. Its record is now 2-8 SU over the most recent 10 meetings. With a 6-4 record, the Warriors also have the advantage ATS.
Predictions: SU Winner – GS
Notes
On average, Houston puts up 106.0 points per home game (ranked seventh). Golden State ranks 21st in points allowed per road game with 106.2.
In its last game, Golden State lost by a margin of one point. Houston is 6-8 in games decided by three points or less. Golden State has a 7-3 record in close games.
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Warriors are 28-2 on the season. When the Rockets score fewer than 100, they are an underachieving 3-18.
When the Warriors give up at least 100 points to their opponent, they are 47-8. When the Rockets hit the century mark, they also have a winning record (39-25).
The Warriors have the league’s top offensive rating (112.6). The Rockets have a defensive rating of 106.5 (ranked 16th).
Golden State has an average field goal percentage of 48.6% (ranked first). Houston is an abysmal 5-21 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Houston Rockets rank higher for their effective field goal percentage (seventh) than they do for their field goal percentage (14th). The Golden State Warriors rank first for both their FG% and EFF%.
The Golden State Warriors rank second with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.94, while the Houston Rockets rank near the bottom of the league at 26th with an A/TO of 1.43.
The Golden State Warriors are one of the best rebounding teams in the league, earning 46.2 rebounds per game (ranked third). The Houston Rockets rank 19th, rebounding 43.2 times each contest.
The Golden State Warriors rank 20th in offensive rebounding, while the Houston Rockets rank 27th in defensive rebounding.
On average, the Rockets force a turnover rate of 15.6%, ranked second in the NBA. When the Warriors turn over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a formidable 32-5 record.
