The final team to progress to the last four of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup will be decided when the Golden State Warriors travel to the Toyota Center to face the Houston Rockets on Thursday morning.
Houston are 16-8 for the season and earned their spot in the quarter-final by winning West Group A with a 3-1 record, while Golden State are 14-9 in the regular season and topped West Group C also with a 3-1 record.
Match preview
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The Houston Rockets made a few eyebrow-raising moves during the offseason, parting ways with some tried and tested personnel for a handful of younger players, and so far, it has worked a treat for them.
The rising star that is Jalen Green, along with Alperen Sengun, have been pivotal in the team's recent success, with Green delivering a stellar 31-point performance against the Los Angeles Clippers last time out.
Houston's current mix of youth and experience has got them into the top three in the West, and the cornerstone of their success has been their uncompromising defence that suffocates opponents into turnovers.
Ime Udoka's strategic coaching has evidently boosted the Rockets' team chemistry, and they have now won seven of their last 10 games, including impressive victories against tough opponents like the Clippers, Timberwolves and Thunder.
As mentioned, the Rockets' greatest strength this season has been their defence which is ranked fourth in the league, allowing just 106.6 points per game, but their offence has been more than competitive, putting up 113.6 PPG, while they have covered the spread in an impressive 66.7% of games to date.
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Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors also underwent a significant shift in the offseason, with Steve Kerr rebuilding the team around Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, and with their two stalwarts on the floor, the team has dominated opponents by 11.4 points per 100.
After winning the Clutch Player of the Year award, Curry, now 36, continues to deliver with incredible precision, shooting 45.4% from the field and 36.9% from beyond the arc, solidifying his role as a crucial contributor to the Warriors' success.
Beyond their star duo, the Warriors' depth is another major asset, with a versatile 12-man rotation that enables head coach Kerr to utilise the likes of Buddy Hield and Moses Moody, both of whom have proven their mettle in recent games.
Aside from the individual brilliance the team possesses, the Warriors also have the psychological edge entering this contest, having beaten the Rockets last weekend 99-93, marking their 15th straight W against Houston in the NBA.
In terms of key stat comparisons, Golden State have been outscoring the Rockets by 0.5 points per game this season but they are conceding 2.6 points more on the defence, while they have also cashed tickets at a slightly lower clip, 14-9-0 ATS for the season.
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Team News
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For the Rockets, Tari Eason has missed the last two games as he remains on concussion protocol and he will be a game-time decision ahead of tip-off on Thursday.
Fred VanVleet also sat out the win over the Clippers on Monday due to a knee injury and he is still listed as questionable for this match, while Jae'Sean Tate is a major doubt owing to lower back pain.
Curry and Green have both missed games recently, including the win over the Rockets on Saturday, as part of managing their workload, but both players returned to the starting lineup against the Timberwolves and should be good to go in this one.
Andrew Wiggins is listed as questionable with a right ankle impingement, Moses Moody's availability is uncertain due to left knee patellar tendinopathy, and De'Anthony Melton is sidelined following ACL surgery.
Houston Rockets possible starting five:
Brooks, Smith Jr, Sengun, Thompson, Green
Golden State Warriors possible starting five:
Kuminga, Payton II, Green, Curry, Hield
We say: Golden State Warriors to win by 2+ points
While the Warriors have dominated this fixture in recent seasons, they have experienced a dip in form of late, now 4-6 across their last 10, which does not bode well for their chances heading to the Toyota Center where the Rockets are 9-3 this season.
However, a couple of those Warriors' losses came while Green and Curry were sidelined, and with the All-Star duo now back and rested, we feel they will be able to notch up another W over this opponent.
Devesh Jaganath
