This year, Ime Udoka produced Houston’s first playoff season since 2020. Now, the Rockets have a bright NBA betting future under Udoka and with players such as Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun. Last year, Udoka arrived as the new head coach of the Houston Rockets. Following a departure from the Boston Celtics in disgrace due to a personal scandal. Houston rolled the dice that Udoka could quickly turn the franchise around. In his first season, Udoka ended the Rockets’ streak of three consecutive losing seasons.
2025 NBA Playoffs First Round Preview: Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors
| Date and Time: | Wednesday, April 23, 2025, 9:30 p.m. ET. |
|---|---|
| Location: | Toyota Center (Houston), Houston, TX |
| TV Coverage: | TNT |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | +4 -115 | 205 -110 | +149 |  |
| Houston Rockets | -4 -105 | 205 -110 | -170 | |
| ||||
Houston Rockets Series Schedule
- Game 2: Warriors at Rockets | Wednesday, April 23, 9:30 p.m. | TNT
- Game 3: Rockets at Warriors | Saturday, April 26, 9:30 p.m. | ABC
- Game 4: Rockets at Warriors | Monday, April 28, 9:30 p.m. | TNT
- Game 5: Warriors at Rockets | TBD*
- Game 6: Rockets at Warriors | TBD*
- Game 7: Warriors at Rockets | TBD*
Houston Rockets Head Coach
Head coach Ime Udoka is a former NBA role player who played for several teams. In his only season as a head coach, he led the 2022 Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals. However, he was forced to resign over a sex scandal with a female employee. Last year, Udoka engineered a remarkable sportsbook turnaround of the Rockets. His career record is 144-102.
Houston Rockets Key Players
SG Jalen Green averaged 19.6 points per game last season. The Houston Rockets selected Green as the 2nd overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft out of Prolific Prep. Previously, He was named to the 2022 NBA All-Rookie First Team. This year, he averaged 21.0 points per game.
PG Fred Vanfleet averaged 17.4 points and 8.1 assists per game in 2023-24. Vanfleet is best known for his time with the Toronto Raptors, where he was a key asset on their 2019 NBA championship team. Also, Vanfleet was a 2022 NBA All-Star. He went undrafted in 2016 out of Wichita State. This year, he averaged 14.1 points per game.
Last year, C Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. The Oklahoma City Thunder took Sengun as the 16th player in the 2021 NBA Draft out of Turkey. He began his career with the Rockets in 2021-22. This season, Sengun averaged 19.1 points and 10.3 points per game.
Houston Rockets Record, Metrics & History
Overall, Houston’s NBA metrics were 18th for scoring offense, 21st for field goal percentage, 21st for 3-point field goal percentage, 30th for free throw percentage, and 1st for offensive rebounding. While on defense, the Rockets’ metrics were 5th for scoring defense, 6th for field goal percentage permitted, 11th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 2nd for defensive rebounding.
Overall, the Houston Rockets’ final regular season record was 52-30 straight up, 42-38-2 against the spread, and 44-36 over/under the NBA betting total. Houston was second in the Western Conference playoff standings, 16 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Two franchise stars came in the 21st Century. Yao Ming was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. And then he was an All-Star in all eight of his years in the league before injuries forced him to retire at 31. The Rockets acquired James Harden from Oklahoma City in 2012. In turn, he became an immediate star in Houston. But this team could never advance further than the Western Conference Finals.