The Golden State Warriors are close to locking a play-in spot, and they can sweep their regular season series with the Houston Rockets while they’re at it.
Catch the game tomorrow at 8:00 AM, Manila time.
AWAY: Golden State Warriors (41-34, 22-15 AWAY)
Projected starting five:
- Stephen Curry
- Brandin Podziemski
- Klay Thompson
- Draymond Green
- Trayce Jackson-Davis
After almost falling out of the play-ins courtesy of a terribly timed 4-7 stretch across 11 games, the Warriors are now back in control of the 10th spot.
The Warriors have won each of their last five contests, four of which were on the road, scoring 110 points per game with an average winning margin of 11 points. Aside from being one of the hottest teams right now, though, the Dubs are also 2-0 vs. the Rockets this season. They won last October 30th, 106-95, and did so again on November 21st, 121-116. They also buried a combined 39 threes between those games.
Steph Curry (26.4 PPG) will remain as such, obviously, while the no. 2 role will be up in the air. Klay Thompson is in-and-out of his hot phase, while Jonathan Kuminga has missed the last three games due to a knee injury. Hopefully, either one of Chris Paul, Andrew Wiggins, and Brandin Podziemski will be there to produce solidly.
HOME: Houston Rockets (38-37, 26-12 HOME)
Projected starting five:
- Fred VanVleet
- Jalen Green
- Amen Thompson
- Dillon Brooks
- Jabari Smith Jr.
The 11th-seeded Rockets have now lost back-to-back after a scorching 11-game winning streak. We’re in the home stretch of the regular season, so those Ls severely jeopardized their play-in hopes – it didn’t help that the Warriors have kept winning. Houston not only needs to win all of its games, the 10th-seed Golden State also needs to lose every time, which is very unlikely.
Nevertheless, Jalen Green has the spotlight for Clutch City yet again. He has taken over the lead-scoring role, particularly when Alperen Sengun got hurt. The 22-year-old is logging 30.8 PPG in his last 10 outings, and would surely aim to perform in this marquee matchup.
Floor general Fred VanVleet (19.3 PPG in his last 6) and long-armed forward Jabari Smith Jr. (19.0 PPG in his last 4) will be the secondary scorers behind Green. Known pest Dillon Brooks, of course, will do his usual ways, though note that he’s a combined 4-of-21 for 10 points over his last three, which sums up to a pitiful 3.3 PPG on 19% across 26.0 minutes per game
PICKS:
Spread: Warriors (-4)
Over/Under: Under (227)
