Rockets vs. Warriors Prediction, Odds, Parlay Pick for Thursday, December 5

Rockets vs. Warriors Prediction, Odds, Parlay Pick for Thursday, December 5 article feature image
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Getty Images: Dillon Brooks

The Houston Rockets (15-7) and Golden State Warriors (12-8) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10 p.m. ET from the Chase Center in San Francisco. The game will be broadcast live on NBA TV.

The Rockets are 3.5-point favorites over the Rockets on the spread (Rockets -3.5), with the over/under set at 221.5 total points. Houston is a -162 favorite to win outright, while Golden State is +136 to pull off the upset.

Let's get into my Rockets vs. Warriors predictions and NBA picks for Thursday, December 5.


Rockets vs. Warriors Picks, Prediction

Spread

The Rockets being 3.5-point road favorites has everything to do with a Warriors' injury report, with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green already ruled out for this game, yet the six-point move does feel a bit steep. Pass.

Moneyline

With Houston on an 0-14 skid against Golden State, I'm a bit hesitant to step in front of this Warriors train. However, I'll share why a Rockets first half moneyline wager is my best bet in this situational spot.

Over/Under

Given the Warriors' injury report, I have no interest in getting involved with the total. Yet, if I had to pick, I'd lean to the game finishing under 221.5 points.

My Pick: Rockets First Half ML (-150)

Rockets vs Warriors Odds

Rockets Logo
Thursday, December 5
10:00 p.m. EST
NBA TV
Warriors Logo
Rockets Odds
SpreadTotalMoneyline
-3.5
-110
221.5
-110 / -110
-162
Warriors Odds
SpreadTotalMoneyline
+3.5
-110
221.5
-110 / -110
+136
Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NBA odds here.
DraftKings Logo
  • Rockets vs Warriors spread: Rockets -3.5
  • Rockets vs Warriors over/under: 221.5 points
  • Rockets vs Warriors moneyline: Rockets -162, Warriors +136
  • Rockets vs Warriors best bet: Rockets 1H ML

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Rockets vs. Warriors Preview

Houston coach Ime Udoka continues to show his prowess in his second year with the Rockets. After winning just 22 games two seasons ago, the Rockets finished at .500 in Udoka's first year as head coach, and now he has them leading the Southwest division with a 15-7 mark and a .682 winning percentage this season.

One of the Rockets' keys to success this season is they've yet to have a losing streak, as they've managed to follow up each of their previous six losses with a victory. However, that trend will be put to the test when they visit the Warriors on Thursday night.

Houston is coming off a 120-111 road loss to Sacramento on Tuesday. That loss was just the second time this season that the Rockets allowed 120 or more points. The other instance was a 127-121 overtime defeat at home to the Warriors.

One of the most impressive things about Udoka is his ability almost to transform teams in such a short time frame. In his first year, he improved the Rockets' defense from 29th to 10th, and now they have the second-best defensive efficiency in the league, allowing 105.3 points per 100 possessions.

We saw a similar result when he was the head coach for the Celtics. In his lone season, Boston went from 13th defensively to leading the league with a 106.2 rating.

Thus, Udoka is a head coach capable of spotting weaknesses, and knows how to make adjustments. He certainly wasn't pleased with Houston's loss to Sacramento, and even got ejected in the game for having a few choice words with the referees.

His in-game management is a big part of why Houston has avoided a losing streak this season. Udoka will undoubtedly be looking for a response from his players. When you combine this situational spot off a loss, with the Rockets facing a short-handed Warriors team that has had their number for 14 straight games, I'd expect the Rockets to start fast in the first half.


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Rockets vs. Warriors Prediction

For an even better payout, I'd recommend parlaying the Rockets first half moneyline with Dillon Brooks to exceed his rebounding prop of 3.5 and Jalen Green to stay under 3.5 assists.

The key thing to note for this matchup is that Brooks has gone over 3.5 rebounds in nine of his last 11 games when facing teams ranked in the bottom-10 in defensive rebounds allowed at the small forward position. We also have to like his chances to go over this number even more with Draymond ruled out for the game. Brooks has exceeded this number in three of his last four meetings against the Warriors.

As for Green, despite leading Houston in scoring (19.3), he averages the third-fewest touches on the team. The Rockets generally begin their offense through Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun before the ball moves to Green. Per NBA.com, his most significant involvement in the offense in terms of usage tends to be when the shot clock is within a range of 15-to-7 seconds.

It's worth noting that VanVleet and Sengun are the Rockets' two best play-creators, ranking first and second with roughly five assists per game. By the time the ball gets to Green, he's primarily looking to do one thing, which is score the basketball. He's stayed under 3.5 assists in 16 of 22 games (73%) this season and seven straight games on the road.

Combining these prop options with our first-half wager would boost our odds to +425 in a same game parlay.

Best Bet: Rockets First Half Moneyline (-150)
Same Game Parlay: Rockets 1H ML, Dillon Brooks Over 3.5 Rebounds,  Jalen Green Under 3.5 Assists (+425)


Warriors vs Rockets Betting Trends

About the Author
Michael is a contributor for The Action Network. He closely follows all major sports (with the exception of the NHL) and specializes in women's college basketball.

Follow Michael Arinze @Vegas_Analytics on Twitter/X.

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