Warriors Favored -200 Over Rockets in NBA Playoff First Round, Only Second 7-Seed Favored Since 1988

18 posts • GPT (4.1)

Updated Apr 16, 2025, 04:33 PM

The Golden State Warriors, seeded seventh, will face the second-seeded Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Despite being the lower seed, the Warriors have opened as favorites to win the series, with sportsbooks listing odds such as -200 at BetMGM, -190, and as high as -220, giving them a 67% implied probability to win. The Rockets are underdogs, with odds including +168. This is only the second time since 1988 that a No. 7 seed has been favored over a No. 2 seed in an opening round, with the previous occurrence being the 2021 Lakers (-175) over the Suns. In that series, the Suns won in six games. The Warriors have a strong playoff record against Houston, having won all four postseason series between the teams since 2015. Head coach Steve Kerr and players like Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have emphasized the importance of ball security and detailed preparation to counter Houston's defensive strategies, drawing on their extensive playoff experience.

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#Golden State Warriors #Houston Rockets #NBA Playoffs #Warriors #Rockets #Lakers #Suns #Houston #Steve Kerr #Stephen Curry #Draymond Green

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Sources

nbcsportsbayarea.com houstonchronicle.com

ClutchPoints

@ClutchPoints

The Warriors will face the Rockets in the 1st round of the playoffs... And it's been a lop-sided matchup over the past decade. Since 2015, the Warriors are 4-0 in playoff series against Houston: 2015 Playoffs: Warriors win, 4-1 2016 Playoffs: Warriors win, 4-1 2018 Playoffs: https://t.co/Qbr63J0Opj

Warriors on NBCS

@NBCSWarriors

There is a serenity and confidence about the Warriors, who believe they know the way to success against the Rockets (via @MontePooleNBCS) https://t.co/YZOS8gtmAF

Houston Chronicle

@HoustonChron

Despite being No. 2 seed, Houston Rockets enter series against Warriors as heavy betting underdogs https://t.co/yjU15bFYBd