Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors

The last team to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup will be determined by Wednesday’s Golden State Warriors against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center.

Houston which recorded a 16-8 for the season got to the quarter-final following a 3-1 record in West Group A and Golden State that is 14-9 in the regular season topped West Group C with a 3-1 record.

The Houston Rockets have pulled a few surprises in the off-season by releasing some of their best and most reliable players and replacing them with some young blood and so far, it has been magic.

The latest bright talent Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun have been instrumental in the team’s recent form; Green scored a career-high 31 points against the Los Angeles Clippers in the last fixture.

Houston’s blend of youth and experience has taken them into a top three position in the West, and it helps that the Rockets’ anchor has been their relentless defence that frustrates its counterparts into turnovers.

This strategy has evidently helped to improve team chemistry with Udoka as coach and the Rockets are now 7 th out of the last 10 games with notable wins against the Clippers, Timberwolves and the Thunder.

As stated, the Rockets’ biggest asset this season has been their defence, ranking fourth in the league in points allowed, with 106.6 PPG, but their offence has been more than a match for it, averaging 113.6 PPG and exceeding the spread in 66.7% of games to the present.
For the Rockets, Tari Eason has been out of the last two games he was diagnosed with concussion and is a game time decision before the start of the match on Thursday.

With a flexible 12-man rotation that allows head coach Kerr to use players like Buddy Hield and Moses Moody, who have both shown their mettle in recent games, the Warriors' depth is another significant weapon in addition to their star pair.

In addition to the team's individual skill, the Warriors have the mental advantage going into this game because they defeated the Rockets last weekend, winning 99-93 to record their 15th consecutive NBA victory over Houston.

Compared to the Rockets, Golden State has been outscoring them by 0.5 points per game this season, but they are giving up 2.6 more points on defense. They have also cashed tickets at a slightly lesser rate, finishing 14-9-0 ATS.

Jae'Sean Tate is a serious doubt because of lower back pain, and Fred VanVleet missed Monday's victory over the Clippers because of a knee ailment. Both players are still listed as questionable for this game.

In order to manage their workload, Curry and Green have both missed games recently, including Saturday's victory against the Rockets. However, both players made a comeback to the starting lineup against the Timberwolves and should be healthy for this game.

De'Anthony Melton is out after ACL surgery, Moses Moody's availability is doubtful due to left knee patellar tendinopathy, and Andrew Wiggins is classified as questionable due to a right ankle impingement.