Rockets vs. Kings: NBA odds, Picks and Predictions
Rockets vs. Kings Odds
| Rockets Odds | +9 |
| Kings Odds | -9 |
| Over/Under | 237 |
| Date | Wed, Jan. 11 |
| Time | 10:00 p.m. |
| TV | SNSW |
The NBA’s eight-game Wednesday slate will conclude with a matchup between the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center. Entering play, Sacramento owns the fifth-best record in the Western Conference, with Houston holding the rights to the league’s worst record through their first 40 contests. This evening, oddsmakers have Sacramento priced as 9-point home favorites on the spread.
Houston Rockets
Spiraling to the bottom
Entering play, Houston has lost seven consecutive contests and 12-of-13 overall since December 15. In that span, the Rockets own the worst Net Rating in the NBA, ranking 26th in offensive efficiency and 30th in defensive efficiency. Still, nine of their 12 defeats during that time period have come by 12 points or less – an indication that this group is more competitive than a quick glance at their advanced metrics would suggest.
Road woes
Through 40 games, no team in the league has a worse record on the road than the Rockets. In 20 contests away from home, Houston has only four wins, the last of which came on December 26 against the Chicago Bulls. The Rockets have been particularly poor defending the perimeter in these situations, ranking 28th in opponent three-point attempts per game and 21st in opponent three-point percentage.
Sacramento Kings
Overperforming expectations
Though Sacramento currently owns the 5-seed in the Western Conference, they are only three games ahead of the 11th place Portland Trail Blazers in the standings. This group has 21 wins this season, 14 of which have come by nine points or fewer – an indicator that the Kings have, perhaps, been more lucky than good during the early portion of the campaign.
Defense lacking consistency
Entering play on Wednesday, the Kings rank 24th in the NBA in defensive efficiency, allowing 114.5 points per 100 possessions. The only teams worse than Sacramento in this metric are the Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, and San Antonio Spurs – all of which are under .500 at this point in the season.
Playing at home, Sacramento is 12-9 overall, but their 28th ranked defensive efficiency in those 21 games makes it difficult to envision their success as sustainable during the latter portion of the regular season. Tonight, the Kings could find it even more difficult to get stops if they fail to win the battle on the glass against a Houston team that ranks 1st in the NBA in rebound percentage this year.
Rockets vs. Kings – Picks & Predictions
The Houston Rockets have struggled everywhere this season, but particularly on the road where they have only four wins in 20 attempts. Nevertheless, this is a somewhat favorable matchup for Houston against the Sacramento Kings, which rank 28th in defensive efficiency at home and are not well-equipped to keep Houston off of the glass – one of the Rockets’ few strengths.
If Houston can win the rebounding battle, they are likely to have a number of second chance opportunities, which will offset any potential inefficiencies from the floor. Sacramento ranks 4th in pace this season, and Houston is not skilled enough to dictate the pace to slow down the action. Expect a lot of possessions in this matchup and for Houston to score just enough to eclipse the market number on their team total.
PICK: Houston Rockets Team Total o113.5 points (-120, MGM)
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