Warriors dubbed favorites over Rockets in Western Conference Finals

The Golden State Warriors have dismantled the New Orleans Pelicans in five games in their second-round playoff series that has set up a highly anticipated Western Conference Finals series against the top-seeded Houston Rockets. It pitted the top two offenses in the league with a trip to the NBA Finals hanging in the balance.

According to David Purdum of ESPN, the Warriors have been placed as the betting favorites to topple the Rockets to earn their fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals.

The Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas opened the Warriors as -185 favorites to win the best-of-seven series against Houston. The Rockets opened at +155, meaning a $100 bet would win a net of $155 if Houston prevails.

During the regular season, the Rockets had their fair share of success against the defending champions. They won two of three meetings. This includes overcoming a 17-point deficit in the season opener at Oracle Arena. This could provide Houston with the confidence needed to hold their own against Golden State. The match-up could easily be a highly competitive series.

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The Warriors had their fair share of struggles down the stretch of the regular season. However, the team has hit stride at the right time. They have won eight of their first 10 postseason games. They have also seen the return of two-time league MVP Stephen Curry after being absent for the last several weeks. His return to the floor has brought back to Golden State their full rapport of offensive talent. It was a timely return from Curry heading into the Western Conference Finals.

Meanwhile, the Rockets have shown to be a highly capable team that could contend for an NBA title that has the firepower to take down the Warriors. The competitive balance between these teams should make for what should be a highly entertaining series with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line.