Propelled by a monster performance from Steph Curry and huge contributions from role players, the Golden State Warriors won Game 3 and took a 2-1 series lead over the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
Jimmy Butler sat that game out, but he’s considered questionable for Game 4 and trending toward taking the court. Can Houston even up the series, or will the Dubs win back-to-back games at home to put the Rockets on the brink of elimination?
Let’s take a look at NBA player props for Jabari Smith Jr. and Jalen Green as they look to get their team back in the win column. I’m also targeting a Steph Curry scoring prop in my Rockets vs. Warriors props and NBA picks for Tuesday, April 28.
Best Rockets vs Warriors props
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Smith o8.5 points (-125) - Green o8.5 asts + rebs (-115)
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Curry o27.5 points (-115)
Rockets vs Warriors player props for April 28
Jabari Smith Over 8.5 points (-125 at bet365)
The Houston Rockets have struggled offensively as a team, but Jabari Smith Jr.’s scoring prop is set ridiculously low. He scored at least nine points in 42 of 60 appearances this season, counting the regular season and playoffs.
He's no longer a regular part of the starting five, but that’s actually been beneficial to him as a scorer. He averaged 11.8 points per game as a starter compared to 12.7 points off the bench.
Smith Jr. has averaged 12.1 points across seven matchups with the Dubs this season, and he’s hit the Over five times. In this playoff series, he’s averaging 9.3 points with two games scoring at least nine points. The Golden State Warriors allowed the ninth-most points to opposing power forwards this season at a healthy 23.7.
Jalen Green Over 8.5 assists + rebounds (-115 at bet365)
Houston is shooting just 41.3% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc as a team in the first-round series with Golden State. Jalen Green has a 38-point eruption and two single-digit efforts under his belt across three games. Though he averaged 21 points per game this season, he only posted 14.6 per game across eight head-to-head matchups with Golden State.
His scoring line is set at 18.5, and while that would seem reasonable for him against most teams, the Warriors have done a great job at limiting him on offense. I’m staying away from his scoring and leaning into his work as a rebounder and playmaker.
Green averaged six boards and 4.3 assists in Games 1-3 and hit the Over on this combo line in each of them. His erratic scoring and Golden State’s strong home defense make me lean Under on his scoring line, but I'm confident in his ability to impact the game in other ways.
Stephen Curry Over 27.5 points (-115 at bet365)
Jimmy Butler will likely return for Game 4, and while he’ll certainly get his on offense, I expect Stephen Curry to lead the way for his team and deliver a crucial victory tonight.
Dating back to the regular season, he's averaged 29.8 points across his last 12 games, going for at least 28 in eight of them. In the first-round series against Houston, he’s scored 36, 20, and 31 points. The two 30-point games resulted in wins, while the 20-point performance came in a loss.
Curry will need to be on his game tonight, and he’ll be motivated to give his team a 3-1 lead heading back to Houston. He’s been great at Chase Center this season, and he’s scored 28+ points in eight of his last 14 at home. The Rockets allowed the most points per game to opposing point guards this season, setting Curry up nicely for another stellar performance as a scorer.
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