We have a pair of Game 5 matchups in Thursday's NBA action and both lower seeds are up 3-1. The Rockets are looking to hold on against the Warriors on home court and push for a Game 6. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves will be seeking an end to their series against the Lakers by beating them in LA.
Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets (GS leads series 3-1)
The Warriors head into Game 5 with a 3-1 series lead over the Rockets and a golden opportunity to finish things off on their home court. Sitting 7th in the conference, Golden State has been playing solid basketball lately, winning 7 of their last 10 games. The most recent matchup between these two was a tight one in Game 4, with the Warriors sneaking past Houston 109-106 in San Francisco. It was a hard-fought win, with standout performances from Jimmy Butler III, who put up 27 points on an impressive 58.3% shooting and he made a successful return from injury. Brandin Podziemski was simply on fire from beyond the arc, he added 26 points along with 5 assists and 5 boards.
The Warriors' depth has been a huge factor this postseason, but as always, the spotlight is firmly on Steph Curry. Averaging 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6 assists per game, Curry remains the heartbeat of this team and will be looking to put his stamp on this one early. If the Warriors can maintain their intensity and get another strong showing from their supporting cast, they’ll be in a great spot to close out the series and move on. For punters, Golden State’s recent form and home-court edge might be enough to give them the upper hand again — but don’t count the Rockets out just yet, especially after how close things were last time.
The Rockets are staring down elimination in Game 5, trailing the series 3-1 against the Warriors. Despite finishing the regular season strong with a 52-30 record and locking in the 2nd seed in the conference, they’ve hit a rough patch at the worst time — dropping three games in a row. Their last outing was a tight one, falling just short 109-106 in San Francisco. Alperen Sengun put in a massive shift with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Fred VanVleet added 25 points on an efficient 61.5% shooting.
The Rockets are 6-4 over their last 10, but they’ll need to dig deep to avoid going home early. Sengun has been their standout all season, averaging 19.1 points, 10.3 boards, and nearly 5 assists per game — he’ll need another big night if Houston wants to stay alive. It's do-or-die for the Rockets, and while they've been close, they’ll need to find that extra gear to push this series back to Golden State for Game 6.
Stadium Record
Houston are 10-3 in its last 13 games at home. Golden State are 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games.
Head to Head Record
In the last 10, the Warriors are now 7-3.
Best Bet
Hard to look past the Warriors in this Game 5 matchup, they have the Rockets number in this series and Jimmy Buckets is back from injury. Golden State loves playing at this venue too, they've covered in 7 of their last 8. The Rockets are just 2-5 ATS in their last 7 and I just don't think they have the playoff experience in the stretch to get it done.
Golden State Warriors +3.5 = $1.95
Same Game Multi
Curry has hit 4 or more threes in 4 of his last 5 games, so the 4+ mark looks a safe bet for this SGM. Jimmy Butler returned with 27 pts in Game 4 and has scored 25+ pts in his last 3 full games.
Golden State Warriors +3.5 / Jimmy Butler 20+ pts / Curry 4+ threes = $4.30
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers (MIN leads series 3-1)
The Timberwolves are rolling into Game 5 with all the momentum, leading the series 3-1 over the Lakers and riding a three-game win streak. They’ve been red-hot lately, winning 8 of their last 10 and showing no signs of slowing down. Their latest win came in a nail-biter at home, edging the Lakers 116-113 in Minneapolis.
Anthony Edwards was absolutely electric, dropping 43 points along with 9 boards and 6 assists on 52.2% shooting — he’s been the driving force behind Minnesota’s playoff push and is averaging 27.6 points per game this season. The Wolves might be the 6th seed, but they’re playing with the confidence of a top-tier team. With one more win, they can close out the series, and if Edwards keeps firing like this, it’s hard to see the Lakers stopping them.
The Lakers are facing a must-win situation in Game 5, trailing the series 3-1 against a fired-up Timberwolves squad. They’ve had a strong season, finishing 50-32 and grabbing the 3rd seed in the West, but they’ve struggled to slow down Minnesota’s momentum. Their latest loss was a close one — dropping Game 4 by just three points, 116-113, in Minneapolis. Luka Doncic did what he could with 38 points on 46.4% shooting, while LeBron put up a near triple-double with 27 points, 12 boards, and 8 assists on 55.6% from the field.
The Lakers have gone 6-4 in their last 10, but if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive, they'll need a massive effort from both Luka and LeBron. Doncic has been a stat machine, averaging 28.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists, and there’s no doubt he’ll be the go-to guy in this do-or-die clash.
Stadium Record
LA Lakers are 13-4 in its last 17 games at home. Minnesota are 1-3 in their last 4.
Head to Head Record
The Timberwolves have won 6 of the last 10 meetings.
Best Bet
Outside of Game 2, the Lakers have struggled to defend the T-Wolves and I think that will be the case in Game 5 as well. The Timberwolves are now 5-2 ATS when they play the Lakers and have scored 116 or more pts in their 3 victories during this series. For the Lakers, they're just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.
Minnesota Timberwolves +5.5 = $1.87
Same Game Multi
The Under is a good trend in this matchup. It's 6-2 when these two teams meet and Game 2 at this venue totalled well under 200 pts. Minny are 5-1 against the Under on the road too. LeBron is getting it done on the boards in this series, recording 10 or more rebounds in his last 3 games. Take him to get the 10+ mark in Game 5.
Minnesota Timberwolves +5.5 / Under 209.5 pts / LeBron James 10+ Rebounds = $6.50
