Updated Rockets vs Warriors Series Price After Houston Wins Game 3

• The Golden State Warriors lead the best-of-seven series 2-1
• All three games have been decided by six points or less
• Steph Curry had just 18 points (7-of-23) in Game 3

The Houston Rockets squeaked out a win in Game 3 to get on the board. They’ve cut the Golden State Warriors series lead to 2-1 and now have an opportunity to tie the series on Monday night. The updated series price since Game 2 still shows Golden State as a sizable favorite at -420, but are they the better team to bet?

Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors Playoff Series Odds

Odds taken 05/05/19

Rockets Eke Out a Win in Game 3

The Rockets did get the win in Game 3 and that’s mostly all that matters, but it wasn’t a very encouraging one. They had a 12-point lead with 40 seconds left in the third quarter and were somewhat lucky the game made it to overtime. They trailed 112-110 with 45 seconds left.

James Harden: Mayor of Clutch City ? pic.twitter.com/fRP3sHGfpO

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 5, 2019

The Rockets did get 41 points from James Harden and 30 from Eric Gordon, but the rest of the offense was quiet. They also crushed the Warriors 55-35 on the offensive glass. You’d hope to win a little more comfortably if you’re +20 on the boards and getting 41 from Harden.

Curry is Struggling

While many people will point to the missed dunk at the end, the truth is Steph Curry has struggled in this series. He’s shooting just 36.5% from the field while averaging 18.3 points per game. He’s also hitting just 25.1% from three.

Steph “Air” Curry pic.twitter.com/6Y3WqZxDLi

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) May 5, 2019

We’re talking about a player who shot 47.2% from the field and 43.7% from three in the regular season while averaging 27.3 points per game. Sure, Kevin Durant has shined in this series and he’s taken on more of the load but this is a bit concerning. Some of it may be the finger injury but more of it is the Rockets’ defense. It has been effective.

What’s the Best Bet?

At this point, I’m holding. I don’t see the Rockets winning this series, although this could be a long one. The Warriors played just okay in Game 3 and still were in it until the end. They could have won it. Even if Curry is struggling, the rest of the team is playing very well.

Draymond Green had 19 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and a pair of blocks. This team is really hard to beat when he’s going. Andre Iguodala has also stepped up as he’s averaging 15.3 points per game in this series along with a whopping 73% from the field and 55% from three.

Rockets get their first win of the series by defeating the Warriors 126-121 in OT.

Stephen Curry had 7 misses in the restricted area tonight, tied for the most in a postseason game by a Warriors player in the last 20 seasons. pic.twitter.com/IuqHZwS2Z0

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 5, 2019

All three games in this series have now been decided by six points or less but I just don’t believe the Rockets have it in them to pull this out. Maybe if Golden State was a little sleepy like they were in the first round or maybe if Houston had earned a dominant win in one of the first three games, I’d be more interested in investing. Instead, I’ll pass.

As for betting Golden State, this isn’t a great spot to invest. If you like them, wait until Game 4 is over. If they win Game 4, they’ll surely take care of this series. If they lose Game 4, you’ll be able to get in at a much cheaper price and they’ll still have home-court advantage.