The NBA Cup continues Wednesday night with the last spot in the final four on the line. The Hawks knocked out the Knicks in the first game of the night to reach the semifinals, and now the Rockets and Warriors are battling for a trip to Las Vegas.
The NBA Cup knockout stage began Tuesday night with the Bucks and the Thunder punching their tickets to the semifinals.
Here's what to know about Wednesday's second game, including a best bet.
Rockets vs. Warriors
- Where: Toyota Center; Houston
- When: Wednesday, Dec. 11; 9:30 p.m. ET
- TV channel: TNT
- Betting line: Rockets -2.5; O/U 221.5
The Warriors have beaten the Rockets twice this season, but it's hard to take too much from either game as Stephen Curry played in neither of them. The simple leap from there is that if the Warriors could beat the Rockets without Curry then surely they can do so with him, but basketball obviously isn't that simple and this is a tiny sample. In a slightly bigger one: the Warriors are 2-6 in their last eight games with a -5.2 net rating. The Rockets have been consistently good without any real dips across nearly two months now. This is a good matchup for them with both Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks to throw at Curry. And, if you're looking for an analogue to Indiana last season, Houston feels like the safest pick. This tournament is a chance for the Rockets to announce their presence as a real contender to the rest of the league. It's not unreasonable to assume they will take this game a bit more seriously than the Warriors do. The Pick: Rockets -2.5
