Setting up an exciting night of NBA basketball on November 22nd are two pivotal matchups in the Western Conference. The evening is headlined by a heavyweight clash between two top teams, the Houston Rockets and the Denver Nuggets, with a divisional rivalry game after that pitting the Golden State Warriors against the shorthanded Portland Trail Blazers.
Houston Rockets vs Denver Nuggets Match Preview
Match Details
- Date: Saturday, November 22nd, 2025
- Kick-off Time: 1:00 AM UTC (November 23)
- Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
- Current Records: Rockets 10-3, Nuggets 11-3
Current Standings & Team Form
Houston Rockets (10-3): Off to a scorching start (second in the league in scoring). They lead the league in rebounding with 50.3 RPG. Their games have tended to OVER; 10 of 14 games have sailed over the number.
Denver Nuggets: 11-3, one of the tops in the Western Conference standings. They average 124.6 points per game and are 9-5 ATS overall.
Head-to-Head History & Key Stats
The recent series has favoured the Nuggets.
| Date | Home Team | Result (Score) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 13th, 2025 | Rockets | 111-126 | Nuggets |
| March 23rd, 2025 | Rockets | 111-116 | Nuggets |
| January 15th, 2025 | Nuggets | 108-128 | Rockets |
| December 08th, 2023 | Nuggets | 106-114 | Rockets |
| November 29th, 2023 | Nuggets | 134-124 | Nuggets |
Recent Edge: The Nuggets hold a 3-2 advantage in the last five meetings.
Trend: The total points have gone OVER in 10 of the Rockets' 14 games this season.
Team News & Expected Lineups
Injuries and Absence
Houston Rockets:
- Out: Fred VanVleet (ACL), Tari Eason (oblique), and Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle).
- Key Players to Watch: Kevin Durant (25.5 PPG) and Alperen Şengün (23.4 PPG, 7.4 AST).
Denver Nuggets:
- Out: Christian Braun (ankle), Julian Strawther (back).
- Questionable: Aaron Gordon (hamstring).
- Key Player to Watch: Nikola Jokic (29.1 PPG, 13.2 REB, 11.1 AST).
Predicted Starting Lineups
Project: Houston Rockets
- PG: Amen Thompson
- SG: Kevin Durant
- SF: Jabari Smith Jr.
- PF: Alperen Şengün
- C: Steven Adams
Denver Nuggets (Projected):
- PG: Jamal Murray
- SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- SF: Aaron Gordon
- PF: Michael Porter Jr.
- C: Nikola Jokic
Key Tactical Matchups
- Rockets' Rebounding against the Nuggets' Efficiency: Houston leads the league in rebounding and must boss the glass to limit Denver's high offensive efficiency, led by Nikola Jokic.
- Şengün/Durant vs. Jokic: With Houston's dual big-man offence, Jokic will have to constantly guard out of position in active coverage outside of the paint.
Team Strategies
Rockets Strategy: The pace needs to be pushed and possessions maximised, allowing their league-leading rebounding to create second-chance points and transition scoring.
Nuggets Strategy: Play through Jokic's exceptional passing and scoring. Attempt high-percentage shots and minimise turnovers against the highly active Houston defence.
Golden State Warriors vs Portland Trail Blazers Matches Preview
Match Details
- Date: Saturday, November 22nd, 2025
- Kick-off Time: 3:00 AM UTC (November 23)
- Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
- Current Records: Warriors 9-7, Trail Blazers 6-8
Current Standings & Team Form
Golden State Warriors (9-7): The Golden State Warriors are 9-7 on the season and have a tendency to go OVER the total points line in 11 of their 16 games.
Portland Trail Blazers (6-8): The Trail Blazers are shorthanded but have a high-scoring offence that averages 120.7 PPG, with 11 of their 14 total games going OVER the line.
Head-to-Head History & Key Stats
The Warriors have dominated this matchup, but the Trail Blazers took the most recent game.
| Date | Home Team | Result (Score) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, 2025 | Trail Blazers | 139-119 | Trail Blazers |
| April 11th, 2025 | Trail Blazers | 86-103 | Warriors |
| March 10th, 2025 | Warriors | 130-120 | Warriors |
| October 23rd, 2024 | Trail Blazers | 104-140 | Warriors |
| April 11th, 2024 | Trail Blazers | 92-100 | Warriors |
Recent Edge: Warriors have won four of the last five meetings. Historically, the Warriors had won 9 of the 10 meetings preceding the Oct 24th upset.
Trend: The Warriors are 66.7% against the Over this season, while the Blazers are 73.3% against the Over.
Team News & Expected Lineups
Injuries and Absence
Golden State Warriors:
- Out: De'Anthony Melton (knee).
- Day-to-Day: Stephen Curry (Ankle), Jimmy Butler (Back), Draymond Green (Illness), Jonathan Kuminga (Knee), Al Horford (Rest).
- Key Players to Watch: Stephen Curry (27.9 PPG) and Jimmy Butler (20.1 PPG).
Portland Trail Blazers:
- Out: Damian Lillard (Achilles), Scoot Henderson (hamstring), Matisse Thybulle (thumb), and Blake Wesley (foot).
- Day-to-Day: Jrue Holiday (Calf), Shaedon Sharpe (Calf), Robert Williams III (Rest).
- Key Players to Watch: Deni Avdija (25.9 PPG) and Shaedon Sharpe (22.6 PPG).
Predicted Starting Lineups
Golden State Warriors:
- PG: Stephen Curry
- SG: Jimmy Butler
- SF: Jonathan Kuminga
- PF: Draymond Green
- C: Kevon Looney
Portland Trail Blazers (Projected):
- PG: Jrue Holiday
- SG: Shaedon Sharpe
- SF: Deni Avdija
- PF: Jerami Grant
- C: Donovan Clingan
Key Tactical Matchups
- Curry/Butler vs. Blazers' Perimeter: Back-to-back MVP Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson bring an elite perimeter scoring against a banged-up Portland club that doesn't defend the arc very well.
- Warriors' Rebounding vs. Clingan: Donovan Clingan (10.0 RPG) needs to control the boards and not let Golden State have possession throughout.
Team Strategies
Warriors Strategy: Push the pace and rely on the Trail Blazers' high three-point shooting (16.1 3PM/G) to take advantage of their lengthy injury report.
Trail Blazers Strategy: Count on Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija to score a lot of goals. To create fast break points, win the rebounding battle and force turnovers.
Current Betting Odds, Value Picks & Bonus Offers
Match Winner Odds (Moneyline)
Value Picks and Best Bets
- Warriors vs Blazers: OVER Total Points. Both teams have hit the over consistently this season (GSW 66.7% and POR 73.3%).
- Rockets vs Nuggets: Rockets Moneyline. Houston is favoured at home and has a better ATS record this season, plus dominates the boards.
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Final Predictions
Warriors vs. Blazers Prediction: The injury concerns will bear down on the Warriors, but their veteran core and depth will outmatch the shorthanded home team Trail Blazers, extending their dominance in this rivalry.
- Final Score Prediction: Warriors 128 - Trail Blazers 112.
Rockets vs. Nuggets Prediction: Houston's league-leading rebounding and strong home form would prove to be the difference in this MVP clash, as a tough win is secured against the reigning champions.
- Final Score Prediction: Rockets 120 - Nuggets 116
Who Would Win?
The Warriors vs Blazers matchup is a likely win for Golden State, pending the status of their day-to-day players. The headlining event of the night pits the Rockets against the Nuggets in a matchup of the league's top rebounders, Houston, against the reigning MVP, Jokic, in a battle to see which Western Conference giant moves further up the standings.
