Warriors vs. Rockets | NBA Playoff Preview & Analysis

The 2025 NBA Playoffs are officially under way,  the Rockets and Warriors will face off in Round 1 of the Western Conference, with tip off tonight in Houston.

For additional information on picks, props, money lines and more on today’s slate, take a look at our NBA Picks Page or our NBA Odds Page, here. 

The Western Conference Quarterfinals tip off on tonight, live at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas

Warriors vs. Rockets | Series Information

Matchup Information

Games 1 & 2

• Location: Toyota Center; Houston, Texas
• Date: Sunday, April 20th, 2025 | Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025
• Tipoff: 9:30 PM EST | 9:30 PM EST

Games 3 & 4

• Location: Chase Center; San Francisco, California
• Date: Saturday, April 26th, 2025 | Monday, April 28th, 2025
• Tipoff: 9:40 PM EST | 3:40 PM EST

(7) Golden State Warriors vs. (2) Houston Rockets | Regular Season Matchups

• Rockets (106) @ Warriors (96) – 4/06/25
• Warriors (105) @ Rockets – (98) – 2/13/25
• Warriors (90) @ Rockets (91) – 12/11/24
• Rockets (93) @ Warriors (99) – 12/05/24
• Warriors (127) @ Rockets (121) – 11/02/24

Key Players

(7) Golden State Warriors

• Stephen Curry – 24.5 PPG | 4.4 RPG | 6.0 APG
• Jimmy Butler – 17.5 PPG | 5.4 RPG | 5.4 APG

(2) Houston Rockets

• Jalen Green- 21.0 PPG | 4.6 RPG | 3.4 APG
• Alpren Sengun – 19.1 PPG | 10.3 RPG | 4.9 APG

Betting Odds

To Win the Series:

• Golden State Warriors (-168)
• Houston Rockets (+142)

Series Spread

• Golden State Warriors -1.5 (+105)
• Houston Rockets +1.5 (-130)

Series Total Games

• Over 5.5 Games (-205)
• Under 5.5 Games (+164)

Odds via BetOnline, an industry leader in the sports betting world.

Warriors vs. Rockets | Analysis

New Faces, Same Old Rivalry

The Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets have an extended history against one another; especially when it comes to Stephen Curry. Curry’s played the Rockets 20 times in the postseason, across 4 different seasons and he’s won all 4 times; winning 14 of the 20 games.

Despite the history, the two teams haven’t faced off in the postseason since 2019; back when Kevin Durant was still a Warrior and James Harden was the reining MVP in Houston. The rosters look completely different now, with Draymond Green, Kevon Looney and Stephen Curry being the only guys still on their respective team from back in 2019.

This year’s Warriors’ team looks different than year’s past, but one thing has remained consistent; if Steph Curry’s on the court, you’ve got a chance to win the game.

H-Town, Stand Up

The Rockets are back in the postseason with no plans on leaving. Houston’s rebuild was slow and ugly, but so worth the wait. Houston finished 2nd in the Western Conference this year, winning 52-games and doing it with a top-5 defense in the NBA.

The Rockets have built a team that blends youth and experience almost perfectly. The young kids, Alpren Sengun and Jalen Green, have led the way for Houston; combining for just over 40 PPG in both players’ 4th season in the league.

Key additions like Fred Vanvleet and Dillon Brooks have helped bring a certain level of grit and grind to this Houston team, helping develop a defensive identity for a team that desperately needed it. This offseason the team added one of my favorite centers, Steven Adams.

While Adams is averaging just 13.7 MPG this year, to ignore the impact he’s had on this Rockets team would be ignorant. Adams has played on 4 different teams in the L10 seasons, Adams was healthy for 8 of those seasons and his team lead the league in offensive rebounds in 7 of those 8 seasons.

Series Prediction & Best Bet for the Warriors/Rockets Quarter-Final

Houston Rockets +1.5 Games – Alternate Series Spread (-130 via BetOnline)

The Rockets are back in the postseason and I think everyone’s counting them out a little too fast. This Rockets team is good; they’ve got a great mix of young talent and veteran presence. Jalen Green and Alpren Sengun have taken the next step this year, leading the Rockets to a top-2 seed in the Western Conference and home court for a majority of the postseason. 

Head Coach Ime Udoka helped lead this Rockets team to 52 wins in his second season with the team. The Rockets were coming off a 22-win season in 2022/2023 and in his first season with the Rockets, Ime helped lead the team to a 41-41 record, narrowly missing the play-in tournament.

The Warriors have looked great this year, but unfortunately for them they’re running into the 2nd best defense in the NBA. Houston’s held opponents to 109.8 PPG and have held opponents to just 45% from the field (6th).

Houston’s got something to prove in this series, not just their young guys but head coach Ime Udoka has some history with this Warriors team. Back when Ime was still coach of the Celtics, the Warriors handed him his first and only loss in the finals, taking the Celtics out in 6-games back in 2022.

The Rockets are young and looking to show they belong, look for them to come out and punch first.

Bonus: Rockets to Win the Series (+138)

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