Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets – Game 5
NBA: 09.00 PM EST
May 24, 2018
Golden State squandered home court advantage in a surprising 95-92 loss to the Houston Rockets at Oracle Arena in Game 4 on Tuesday night. The Warriors managed just 12 points in the 4th quarter and coughed up multiple double-digit leads en route to sending the series back to Houston at a 2-2 tie.
Game 4 was a vastly different type of game in the first three in this series had been, as just 187 combined points were scored (the series had averaged 222 total points per game to that point). Both teams shot under 40% from the field and didn’t find much success from beyond the three-point arc. James Harden was the only 30-point scorer, and just four combined players tallied 12+ points (Harden, Paul, Durant, Curry).
With the series returning to Houston, I expect the high-pace, high-octane offense from both sides to return to center stage. The two games thus far at the Toyota Center finished at 225 and 232 points, and I’d be surprised if we see a grinding, isolation-style game tonight. Both offenses are predicated on floor spacing and a flurry of three-point shooting, and I think enough shots fall to carry the total over a line that seems reactionary to Tuesday’s Game 4.
Our NBA Free Tip: Over 218.5
