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The Houston Rockets have about a one-third chance to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 playoff series deficit.
The Rockets won consecutive games without Kevin Durant in the lineup and are -3.5 favorites on their home floor in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Key Takeaways
- The Rockets were huge favorites to begin the series.
- Austin Reaves returned for LA on Wednesday, while Durant is out for Game 6.
- The Rockets -3.5 claimed 56% of money in the spread market at FanDuel.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Rockets are a +215 underdog in their ongoing first-round series with the Lakers. That gives them an implied 31.8% chance to do the unthinkable and rally from a three-game deficit, even more improbably, without their best player. Los Angeles is -260 (72.2% chance).
There have been 161 teams in NBA history that trailed 3-0 in a playoff series. Only 15 of those forced a Game 6, and just four made it to Game 7. The most recent example of a near-comeback occurred in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, when the Boston Celtics lost Game 7 on their home floor after winning three straight.
No team has ever won a series after falling three games behind.
The Rockets were about -750 favorites when the series began. They nearly knotted the score at 1-1 in Game 2, but they became the second team in 29 years to lose a playoff game they led by six points with 30 or fewer seconds remaining.
Game 6 will take place in Houston, where the Rockets went 30-11 and are 1-1 in the postseason. The Lakers went 25-16 on the road during the regular season and 1-1 in the playoffs.
Game 6 odds and series outlook
FanDuel NBA odds have the Rockets at -3.5 (-118) and -180 on the moneyline ahead of Friday’s all-important clash. The Lakers are +152, which is just shy of a 40% implied chance.
The Lakers were expected to win Game 5, which marked Austin Reaves’ return to the lineup. He scored 22 points and had six assists, but he shot a terrible 25% from the floor. LeBron James led the way with 25 points and seven assists.
The loss also marked an end to one James’ many historic streaks. He had won 16 straight home closeout games, with his last loss coming in his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2008.
Just because the Rockets ended James’ run doesn’t mean that their path to a Game 7 will get any easier. Leading scorer Kevin Durant—who only played in Game 2 in this series—has already been ruled out with an ankle injury.
FanDuel reported that 61% of bets are on the Lakers +3.5 (-104), while 56% of the money is on the Rockets at -3.5.
The winner will advance to face the first-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who swept the Phoenix Suns 4-0.
Updated NBA Finals odds
Regardless of which team advances to the second round, NBA Finals odds suggest that neither will have much of a chance in the long run.
The Thunder lead the board with -130 odds to win the Finals, before the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics, who are tied at second at +500. The Lakers are down at +4000, and the Rockets are a whopping +40000.
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