NBA: Golden State Warriors VS Houston Rockets Pick and Predictions 11/20/2022

Game: 7:10 PM ET,  Sunday, November 20th, 2022

Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

Where to Watch: NBA LEAGUE PASS

Warriors: 7-9, 11th place Western Conference

Rockets: 3-13, 15th place Western Conference

BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Warriors -10.5, O/U 231.5

PointsBet: Point Spread: Warriors -10.5, O/U 231

Fanduel: Point Spread: Warriors -10, O/U 231.5

Warriors: SF Andrew Wiggins, PF Draymond Green, C Kevon Looney, SG Klay Thompson, PG Stephen Curry

Rockets: PF Jabari Smith JR, SF Kenyon Martin JR, C Alperen Sengun, PG Jalen Green, SG Eric Gordon

A Western Conference matchup of two bad teams… the problem is that while we knew one of them would be bad… We thought the other one would be GOOD.  Something very bizarre is happening with the Golden State Warriors.  They are the NBA’s defending Champs having won last season’s title while simultaneously reigniting the talk of dynasty!  Last season the old crew of PG Steph Curry, SG Klay Thompson, and PF Draymond Green.. Teamed up with first time all-star SF Andrew Wiggins to make Magic… a big part of that magic involved a bench full of young, exciting, productive players who could spell the old men.  During the offseason the team parted with a few bench guys, but kept what we thought were the best ones… SG Jordan Poole, PF/SF Jonathan Kuminga, G/F Moses Moody, and a guy who had missed the entire season before but has the MOST upside of all of them C James Wiseman.  And suddenly the magic is gone.  The combinations aren’t working.  Nothing got helped by PF Draymond Green sucker-punching young guard Jordan Poole in practice right at the start of the season (apparently over contract envy).  The young guys don’t work… Klay and Draymond don’t quite produce as much… C James Wiseman has been sent down to the G-League because the Warriors can’t afford for him to learn the NBA on the job… all that really is working is PG Steph Curry.  It’s an odd feeling all around… and maybe one that will call for a trade to set things right?.  The Houston Rockets are a dumpster fire!  On purpose for sure… but a dumpster fire.  The Rockets are among the many teams that have chosen the path of multi-year tanking to gather top draft picks for a winning future… someone should tell them they have to get those picks right… and they have to have some luck… or the tanking plan will become quick sand. The Rockets have two future pieces in the fold: Guard Jalen Green and PF Jabari Smith… Both top 3 picks… and neither have yet to really look as the other guys taken around them.  That could be a function of playing on a bad Houston Rockets… but those other guys are on bad roster too… and outperforming these two guys.  If this team doesn’t land at least a top-two pick? (giving them a shot at Franchy or Scoot)... This entire season would be seen as a waste of time.  The Rockets will lose 85-90% of their games, despite getting solid play from unknown Center Alperen Sengun.

The Golden State Warriors won their last game over the New York Knicks 111-101.  The problem with the Warriors at the moment is the feeling that they will suddenly flip a switch and start winning consistently (they have the talent).  This makes betting for or against them tough at the moment… The key is to look closely at the spread… right now they are only 4-6 ATS during their last ten games…. So they have been relatively safe to bet against.  In the win over the Knicks PG Steph Curry went for 24 pts, 6 rebs, and 10 asts.. Still keeping up to that Hall of Fame pace he is on.  Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson EACH had 20 points.  The key is of course PF Draymond Green who had 10 pts, 9 rebs, and 7 asts… it is stat lines like that coupled with fantastic defense that makes Draymond the soul of this dynasty.  Curry is the star… Draymond is the soul… It also puts Warriors GM Bob Myers in a really tough spot! How can you give a guy at Draymond’s age (soon to be 33) and low scoring averages ANOTHER MAX contract extension when the team is already paying +200 million in luxury taxes?.. It would be insane!  Bob Myers had hoped that Jonathan Kuminga would be pressing for Draymond’s minutes by now… but that just isn’t happening.  He was also hoping that C James Wiseman would instantly improve the interior scoring and shot blocking in case the team had to move off Draymond… That is also NOT happening.. In fact James is just barely doing that in the G-League.

The Houston Rockets lost their last game to the Indiana Pacers 99-91... The Rockets have trouble against other teams that aren't playing well. Six Pacers scored in double figures against the Rockets woeful defense.  Rockets SG Eric Gordon did his veteran best by scoring 24 points on 8 of 17 shooting... and in doing so he had more than 25% of the teams offense by himself.  Rockets' guard Jalen Green looked like a clown while shooting 0-4 from beyond the arc and 2-10 from the field.. Good thing for the charity stripe.. That is how Jalen finished with 16 points.  The team made no meaningful adjustments and are missing young SG Kevin Porter Jr to a back injury.  It is unclear if Kevin will play against the Warriors.

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GSW: 7-9, 6-10 ATS, 8-6-2 O/U, 0-8 in road games.

HOU: 3-13, 8-8 ATS, 8-8 O/U, 1-4 in home games.

The Warriors are 4th in scoring with 117.1 points per game, 23rd in rebounds with 42 per game, 11th in AST/TO ratio with 1.8, and 26th in blocked shots with 3.8 per game.

The Rockets are 29th in scoring with 107.9 points per game, 5th in rebounds with 45.9 per game, 30th in AST/TO ratio with 1.2, and 12th in blocked shots with 5.4 per game.

Our prediction for Sunday, November 20th is…. Warriors 118 - Rockets 102

This is a really lucky spot in the schedule for the Warriors to get the Rockets… It doesn’t even matter that they are on the road.  For all the struggles the Warriors have had?.. Running into the Rockets gives them a night of simple winning.  The Warriors' scoring has been great… it’s the defense that needs to work… but since the Rockets are a rather easy defensive assignment… that will be no problem.  Bet on the Warriors ATS.

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The Warriors are 5-1 ATS versus the Rockets the last 3 seasons.
The Warriors are 15-8 ATS as a favorite of 10 or more points.
The Rockets are 21-44 ATS as a home underdog the last 3 seasons.

Warriors: SG Jordan Poole.  Jordan got a big extension from the Warriors to act as a Steph Curry clone off the bench.  The time for him to find last season’s form is now.  Especially against a team of kids in Houston.

Rockets: SG Eric Gordon… Yep, Eric is still in the league.  A good shooter and a little on the small side… The Rockets hung on to veteran shooter Eric Gordon literally to keep the roster above the salary floor.  Yes, just as the NBA has a salary ceiling that you must pay a tax for going over… They also have a salary floor that you must pay a tax for going under… so with the massive give-away of talented players the Rockets did over the last few years… They still need someone making relatively large money putting on the uniform.  If the Rockets do land a top-two pick in the coming 2023 draft?... Eric will be gone in a flash.

Warriors: Steve “all the rings” Kerr

Rockets: Stephen “famous last name” Silas