Houston Rockets vs Brooklyn Nets Odds, Spread, and Totals
The Houston Rockets will travel out east to take on the Brooklyn Nets at 6 p.m. EST. Unsurprisingly, the Rockets have had a far better start to the season than…
The Houston Rockets will travel out east to take on the Brooklyn Nets at 6 p.m. EST. Unsurprisingly, the Rockets have had a far better start to the season than the Nets, going 20-10 overall, including a three-game win streak that saw them defeat the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day and the Cleveland Cavaliers just after. Brooklyn, for all of the flak it gets, has also played much better recently, going on a three-game win streak of their own that was just snapped by the Golden State Warriors.
Things have not shaken out as expected for Houston's lineup, but that has not been a negative. With Kevin Durant's shift to shooting guard, forwards Tari Eason and Jabari Smith have combined to add a nice scoring punch from the three and four. That also allows guard Reed Sheppard to lead the second unit, a role in which he has excelled. With the rotation seemingly figured out, the Rockets are poised to make a legitimate run at the first seed in the Western Conference, a position that now seems wide open thanks to the Oklahoma City Thunder's recent defeats.
Unfortunately, the Nets are not poised for any sort of run, even considering their recent winning streak. However, much more important than any sort of improvement in the standings is the development of Brooklyn's young players. Guard Egor Demin has slowly improved in the scoring category while handling more and more minutes, indicating a growing sense of trust between him and the coaching staff. Forward Noah Clowney has been a bright spot, averaging 13.2 points per game while handling a significant minutes load. The win column might see slow steps forward, but Nets fans should be happy with the obvious improvements throughout their young core.
Spread
- Rockets -12.5 (+163)
- Nets +12.5 (-223)
Money line
- Rockets -355
- Nets +270
Total
- Over 226.5 (-108)
- Under 226.5 (-127)
Rockets vs Nets Betting Trends
- The Rockets are one of the better teams in the NBA ATS, going 17-13.
- The Rockets cover at a 61% clip when playing on the road, going 11-7 ATS.
- The over is 11-4 when Houston enters the game as a road favorite.
- The Nets are 15-14-1 ATS this year.
- The Nets are 7-9 ATS when playing at home.
- The under is 17-13 in Brooklyn's games.
Rockets vs Nets Injury Reports
Houston Rockets
- Alperen Sengun, C - Questionable.
- Steven Adams, C - Questionable.
Brooklyn Nets
- No injuries of note.
Rockets vs Nets Prediction and Pick
There is a chance that the Rockets are without both of their starting centers in this game, which could loom large in a matchup with Nicolas Claxton. However, even if both Sengun and Adams are forced to sit, Houston can still rely on Clint Capela as a capable third-string player. However, the Nets are playing at home and recently returned guard Cam Thomas to the lineup, adding another electric scorer to play alongside Michael Porter Jr. There is an argument to be made for the under, but the best choice is taking the Nets to continue their recent stretch of good play and cover on their home floor.
