Houston Rockets (52-30) vs Golden State Warriors (48-34)
Game Info: Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at 9:30 pm (Toyota Center (Houston))
Betting Odds: Houston Rockets -3 -- Over/Under: 203.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds
Where to Watch: TNT
The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors are set to clash in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at the Toyota Center in Houston. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. PDT. The Warriors currently lead the series 1–0 after a 95–85 victory in Game 1.
In the series opener, Golden State's Jimmy Butler made a significant impact, scoring 25 points along with six assists and seven rebounds. His performance, coupled with Steph Curry’s, helped secure a key road victory. Since joining the Warriors in February, Butler has been instrumental in the team's resurgence, contributing to a 25–8 record and elevating them to the league's top-ranked defense during that span. The Rockets, despite being the higher seed, struggled offensively in Game 1. Their young core, including Jalen Green and Alperen Şengün, will need to adjust and find ways to counter the Warriors' experienced lineup. Houston's strength lies in its gritty defense and elite rebounding.
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Alperen Sengun Over 20.5 Points
Sengun is averaging 19.1 points per game, ranking 39th in the league. Şengün maintained a field goal percentage of 49.6%, reflecting his efficiency in scoring. In addition to his scoring, he contributed 10.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, while playing an average of 31.5 minutes per contest. He was the only one who did anything for the Rockets in game one. This is a good matchup for him against the Warriors. The Warriors play small with Draymond at the 5. Expect the Rockets to work through Sengun once again in game 2.
Brandin Podziemski Over 5.5 Rebounds
Podziemski is averaging 4.9 rebounds per game, with a breakdown of 3.9 defensive rebounds and 1.0 offensive rebounds per game. His total rebound percentage stands at 10.1%, with a defensive rebound percentage of 16.6% and an offensive rebound percentage of 4.1%. He’s secured 6+ rebounds in 6 of his last 9 games, and we saw him have 8 rebounds in game 1 of this series. Podziemski has been cleaning up on the glass, and he reminds me of Josh Hart as he always seems to be in the right play at the right time to grab rebounds.
Steph Curry Over 25.5 Points
Curry is averaging 24.5 points per game, ranking 11th in the league. Curry maintained a field goal percentage of 44.8% and a three-point shooting percentage of 39.7%, making 4.4 three-pointers per game on 11.2 attempts. His free-throw accuracy remained elite at 93.3%. In addition to his scoring, Curry contributed 6.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game, while playing an average of 32.2 minutes per contest. I believe Curry’s line should be higher with the way he’s been playing. We’ve seen him score 30+ points in 7 of his last 10 games. I don’t see Curry slowing down in this one.
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AUTHOR: Brad Francis
