The Houston Rockets and the Denver Nuggets duke it out at the Ball Arena on Wednesday night. Here’s a Nuggets vs. Rockets prediction. This article will include a Nuggets vs. Rockets pick.
Houston Rockets Betting Preview
The Houston Rockets have been in great shape, as they’ve won six of their last nine games overall and they will be eager to keep it going after running past the Raptors in a 113-99 home win last night. Kevin Durant led the team with 29 points on 12 of 16 shooting. Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson each scored 23 points, while Alperen Sengun chipped in with 14 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. As a team, the Rockets shot 49 percent from the field and 10 of 24 from the 3-point line but this win was more about their effort on defense, as they held the Raptors to just 20 points in the second quarter to take a nine-point lead into halftime, before they finished even stronger as they restricted the Raptors to just 16 points in the fourth quarter to pull away and win comfortably at home.
Denver Nuggets Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets have been in a rut, as they’ve lost four of their last six games overall and they will be hoping to snap a two-game skid after falling painfully short to the red-hot Thunder in a 129-126 road defeat on Monday. Nikola Jokic led the team with a monster triple-double of 32 points with 14 rebounds and 13 assists, Tim Hardaway Jr drained eight 3-pointers to finish with 28 points off the bench, Aaron Gordon tallied 23 points with 10 rebounds while Jamal Murray chipped in with 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists. As a team, the Nuggets shot 46 percent from the field and 15 of 37 from the 3-point line as they set the tone with 40 points in the first quarter to open up a 13-point lead, but this game was all locked up midway through the fourth quarter before the Thunder went on a pivotal 9-0 run to start to pull away.
Why the Denver Nuggets will win
- The Rockets have lost each of their last seven road games against Western Conference opponents following a win.
- The Nuggets have won each of their last seven night games at Ball Arena following a road loss.
- The Rockets have failed to cover the spread in each of their last seven road games on the second leg of a back-to-back against Western Conference opponents.
- The Nuggets have covered the spread in each of their last five games when playing with a rest advantage.
Why the Houston Rockets will win
- The Rockets have won eight of their last nine games against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back.
- The Nuggets have lost six of their last seven games against Western Conference opponents that held a winning record.
- The Rockets have covered the spread in seven of their last eight games as road underdogs.
- The Nuggets have failed to cover the spread in five of their last six games against opponents who are on the second leg of a back-to-back.
Total Points Facts
- Seven of the Nuggets’ last eight night games against Southwest Division opponents have gone OVER the total points line.
- Each of the Rockets’ last four road games following a home win have gone OVER the total points line.
Denver Nuggets Player Facts
- Nikola Jokic ranks 1st amongst qualified players for assists per game (10.3) this season.
- Aaron Gordon is one of only 10 players in the league to have made 10+ threes in a game this season.
Houston Rockets Player Facts
- Alperen Sengun ranks 1st in the league for points in the paint (784) this season.
- Amen Thompson ranks 4th in the league for points in the paint (752) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Nuggets rank 30th in the league for steals per game this season (6.8).
- The Nuggets rank 30th in the league for opponent turnovers per game this season (12.0).
- The Rockets rank 1st in the league for rebounds per game this season (48.2).
- The Rockets rank 1st in the league for offensive rebounds per game this season (15.2).
Nuggets vs Rockets Prediction
The Rockets are still playing without Steven Adams, Fred VanVleet and Jae’Sean Tate, while the Nuggets have ruled out Peyton Watson and they are keeping an eye on Jamal Murray and Cameron Johnson, who are both listed as day-to-day. The Rockets have already beaten the Nuggets in two out of three meetings this season, but they have opened as underdogs as they are playing their second game of a back-to-back set. The Rockets are the team in better form right now, but the Nuggets are getting desperate for a win and I think they can secure a narrow win and cover at home in this spot.