Warriors vs. Rockets Preview
HOUSTON, TX – The Golden State Warriors‘ best start in 16 years is long gone. A matchup with the struggling Houston Rockets could help them start to regain their early season success.
Opening a three-game road trip Wednesday, the Warriors try to avoid a fifth straight loss in Houston while handing the Rockets their second five-game slide of the season.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Rockets -5.5 point spread favorites for Wednesday’s game against the Warriors. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 78% of more than 95 bets for this game have been placed on the Warriors +5.5.
Golden State (7-7) has lost three in a row and five of six since its 6-2 start.
“The only thing we can do now is stay focused and stay together,” Monta Ellis said following Monday’s 106-89 home loss to Denver.
Ellis and the Warriors did just that in a 132-128 win over visiting Houston on Oct. 27. The star guard hit 18 of 24 shots and matched a career high with 46 points as Golden State opened its season with a victory for the first time in five years. The Warriors also snapped a nine-game skid to Houston in Keith Smart’s coaching debut.
Golden State posted what remain season highs in points and field goal percentage (55.4) in that victory, but it has struggled on the offensive end lately.
After shooting 35.2 percent in a 117-89 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, the Warriors shot 40.2 percent Monday. The team’s top two scorers, Ellis, among the leaders with 25.5 points per game, and Stephen Curry shot a combined 15 for 43.
“We were missing layups, the ball was going in and out,” said Ellis, 9 of 32 in the last two games.
Golden State, which has lost three straight on the road by an average of 21.6 points, could fare better against a Rockets team that is among the worst defensively in the NBA, allowing 108.4 per game.
Houston (3-10) is yielding an average of 115.0 in its last three.
“We have to find a way to keep our heads up,” point guard Kyle Lowry said after Monday’s 123-116 loss to Phoenix. “We are 3-10, but we are not a 3-10 team. We are way better than that.”
The Rockets, off to their worst start since opening 3-11 in 2005-06, have been plagued by injuries and likely won’t welcome back Yao Ming (ankle) or Aaron Brooks (ankle) until early next month.
Those key losses have forced coach Rick Adelman to rely more on his bench.
Led by Jordan Hill’s first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, a season-high 16 points from Courtney Lee and 12 from Brad Miller, the Rockets’ substitutes scored 50 points Monday.
“We’ve got to build something throughout the year,” Adelman told the Rockets’ official website. “Our young guys have to start getting better and the only way they’re going to do that is if we play them.”
Smart also is looking for bench production from Rodney Carney and Reggie Williams with Brendan Wright (back) and David Lee (elbow) unlikely to play during the Warriors’ trip.
The Warriors have lost four in a row in Houston, the last three by an average of 19.3 points.
Rockets forward Luis Scola had season highs with 36 points and 16 rebounds in last month’s loss in Oakland.
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