Just when it looked like the season was getting away from them, the Houston Rockets (20-15 SU, 17-17-1 ATS) have won nine of their last 10 games at 8-1-1 ATS to take over first place in the Southwest Division. They’ll visit the top team in the Pacific, the Golden State Warriors (24-13 SU, 15-22 ATS), this Thursday at 10:30 PM ET on TNT.
The Rockets have won four straight games SU and ATS since starting point guard Chris Paul went on the injured list with a strained left hamstring. In his absence, swingman James Harden has once again taken over the controls, putting up monster numbers and playing more like last year’s MVP. Houston will require Harden’s services even more now that back-up PG Eric Gordon (knee) is also on the shelf.
Golden State, meanwhile, are one of the worst betting values in the league at 6-4 SU and 2-8 ATS over their last 10. They’ve been having issues in the paint with promising center Damion Jones (torn pec) likely out for the year; offseason signing DeMarcus Cousins is still rehabbing his Achilles injury from last January, and it might be a few weeks before “Boogie” makes his Warriors debut.
