Golden State Warriors (48-34) vs Houston Rockets (52-30)
Game Info: Friday, May 2, 2025 at 9:00 pm (Chase Center)
Betting Odds: Golden State Warriors -5 -- Over/Under: 203.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds
Where to Watch: ESPN
The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets are set to clash in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series on Friday, May 2, 2025, at 6:00 PM PDT at Chase Center in San Francisco. The Warriors lead the series 3-2 but are coming off a 131-116 loss in Game 5, where Houston's aggressive defense and physical play disrupted Golden State's rhythm.
In Game 5, the Rockets' "double-big" zone defense, anchored by Alperen Şengün and Steven Adams, effectively stifled the Warriors' offense, limiting them to 0.85 points per possession. Amen Thompson's standout defense also played a crucial role in containing Stephen Curry, who has been less effective since his 36-point performance in Game 3. As the Warriors aim to close out the series at home, they must address the challenges posed by Houston's defense and maintain composure amidst the physicality.
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Fred VanVleet Over 15.5 Points
VanVleet is averaging 14.1 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 37.8% from the field and 34.5% from three-point range. Defensively, he contributed 1.6 steals and 0.4 blocks per game, maintaining a true shooting percentage of 51.9%. I’ve taken the over on VanVleet’s points in the last 3 games of this series, and I’ve been cashing in. He’s coming off back-to-back games where he scored 25+ points. He’s one of the more playoff-experienced guys on this roster, and it has shown. If the Rockets want any chance in this game, VanVleet will need to continue to have an impact.
Jimmy Butler Over 20.5 Points
Butler is averaging 17.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, with a field goal percentage of 50.4%. In the playoffs, Butler's performance included averages of 18.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists over three games, while shooting 50.0% from three-point range. Butler has been known to take his game to another level during the playoffs. He’s coming off a quiet scoring performance in game 5, which makes me want to back him in game 6. Butler has been great in this series, and I expect him to return back to his normal “Playoff Jimmy” form in this one.
Jalen Green Under 15.5 Points
Green is averaging 21.0 points per game, marking a notable improvement from his 19.6 points per game in the previous season . Green's shooting efficiency also saw an uptick, with a field goal percentage of 42.3% and a three-point shooting percentage of 35.4%. With that being said he hasn’t been great this series. He had one game where he went off for 38 points but he has scored 11 or fewer points in the rest of the games. Green has struggled to score against this Golden State team, and it’s evident that the Warriors are putting a heavy emphasis on forcing other guys on this Rockets team to score.
Brad’s Pick See Above
AUTHOR: Brad Francis
