The Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors have identical records — eight wins and three defeats — but the visitors head into this meeting on an impressive eight-game winning streak. The Rockets have also returned to winning ways, beating the Denver Nuggets 110:100, but their consistency remains a concern.
Houston Rockets
In their previous game against the Denver Nuggets, the Houston Rockets focused on defence and rebounding. They won the rebound battle 50:39, while their opponents made just 37 field goals. Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun led the offence, combining for 43 points, 23 rebounds and 16 assists. However, before beating the Nuggets, the Rockets lost to the Phoenix Suns (99:102) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (110:122), fading noticeably after half-time on both occasions. If they suffer a similar dip, the Golden State Warriors will certainly capitalise.
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors, by contrast, are currently scoring at an impressive rate. In their latest game, they thrashed the New Orleans Pelicans 138:87, with Stephen Curry scoring 25 points in just 20 minutes on court and making six of his ten three-point attempts. Brandin Podziemski also scored 25 points, while rookie Yaxel Lendeborg added 23. More important than the individual numbers is how well the team are playing together: ball movement, quick transitions and accurate three-point shooting are allowing the Warriors to compensate for their absentees.
Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors Prediction
The visitors do have availability concerns: Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Kristaps Porzingis will miss out through injury and illness. Even without several important players, however, the team delivered a convincing performance in their previous game. The Houston Rockets also have personnel concerns, but their biggest stars are available. The hosts' advantage on the boards could be an important factor, but to win by more than seven points they will need to contain Curry and avoid their familiar lapses in perimeter defence.
The head-to-head record provides another argument for backing the Golden State Warriors with a positive handicap. The teams met three times in the 2025/26 regular season, and none of those games was a blowout: the Houston Rockets won twice, by four points and one point, while the Warriors won by two points in overtime. Given the visitors' current form and Curry's ability to make decisive plays late in games, backing the positive handicap looks preferable to picking a winner.
