Pick: Rockets -6.5
Odds: -110
$100 Could Win You…$190.91
The 2020-21 campaign has been an arduous one for the Houston Rockets. The season began following the unexpected departures of Russell Westbrook, Daryl Morey, and Mike D’Antoni. James Harden also demanded to be traded over the offseason, which was a situation that wound up casting a pall over the franchise well into the season.
Since Harden was shipped to Brooklyn last month, though, things have taken a turn for the better. The Rockets currently sit at 10-9, and they’re riding the longest winning streak (6) in the NBA. Houston crushed the Thunder by 30 points on Monday night, and the two teams will do it again in OKC tonight.
The Thunder will be shorthanded for this one. George Hill will be sidelined for the next several weeks, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been listed as out with a knee sprain. Oklahoma City already owns one of the thinnest rosters in the league, so the fact that they’ll be without their leading scorer in this game is big news. Even so, OKC is still only a 6.5-point underdog at home in a game with an over/under of 223.5 points.
Houston’s Team-First Approach
The Harden situation clearly wore on the rest of the team earlier this season. First-year head coach Stephen Silas was forced to navigate the impossible situation, while it also put his new teammates in an awkward spot. It was difficult for guys like John Wall, Christian Wood, and DeMarcus Cousins to settle into new roles with Harden’s status in limbo. Since the trade, though, the team has started to gel.
Kevin Durant has garnered plenty of headlines for how well he has recovered from his Achilles injury, but what about Wall?
The former All-Star has picked up right where he left off in Houston. So far this season, Wall is averaging 17.8 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in just under 30 minutes per game. The numbers may not be quite as eye-popping as they were while he was in his prime with the Wizards, but he really hasn’t lost much athleticism despite the two-year injury layoff.
Production all around from the Rockets’ core in their win over the Blazers.
🚀 Victor Oladipo: 25 Pts, 11-23 FG
🚀 Christian Wood: 22 Pts, 12 Reb
🚀 John Wall: 20 Pts, 6 Ast pic.twitter.com/4WCm4rNavf
— ESPN (@espn) January 29, 2021
He has also formed a nice early partnership with Wood and Victor Oladipo. Oladipo has looked phenomenal on defense since coming to Houston last month, and he’s averaging 20 points in over 33 minutes per game. Wood, who signed a three-year deal to come to Houston from Detroit during the offseason, leads the team in both scoring (23.3) and rebounding (10.7). The Rockets may not have any true superstars left on the roster, but there is still a solid collection of talent here.
Entering Wednesday’s action, the Rockets own the NBA’s second-best defensive rating. Houston is holding its opponents to an average of 104.2 points per 100 possession. Only the Lakers have been more suffocating defensively. The Rockets’ defense really took the next step following the Harden trade.
Who Steps Up for OKC?
The absence of both Gilgeous-Alexander and Hill means the Thunder will have to dive deep into their bench in this one. Rookie Theo Maledon has been starting in place of Hill over the past couple of games, while it remains to be seen who will start for SGA. Maledon is the only real point guard left on the roster, so a high-usage option like Hamidou Diallo is an option to take SGA’s place as the team’s go-to scorer.
Regardless, it’s tough to imagine the Thunder doing a ton of damage against the Houston defense tonight. Gilgeous-Alexander is a future All-Star, but he’s really the only reliable scoring threat this team has. Diallo, who has averaged a career-high 11.7 points per game this season, will presumably be tasked with taking on a bigger role. The Thunder may also look to second-year forward Darius Bazley to be more aggressive offensively.
Top 3 Thunder scorers available in tomorrow night’s game with Gilgeous-Alexander and Hill out:
Lu Dort (12.4 PPG)
Al Horford (12.4 PPG)
Hamidou Diallo (11.7 PPG)— Nick Crain (@CrainNBA) February 3, 2021
We could also see Al Horford try to assert himself. The cagey veteran has been something of a passenger so far this season for the rebuilding Thunder, but he did take 13 shots in Monday’s matchup. Houston’s defensive weakness is in the paint with the wiry Wood serving as their lone rim protector. Horford may be past his prime, but he has still shown the ability to do some damage when he’s motivated. It’s hard to think of a better scenario for a breakout Horford performance than tonight with the Thunder down their leading scorer.
What’s the Best Bet?
I’d be surprised if this line didn’t keep moving in Houston’s direction the closer we get to gametime. The Rockets are rolling right now, while the Thunder are presumably going to struggle to keep up. Oklahoma City has been a decent defensive team for most of the season, but I’m not at all sold that they have enough firepower to stick with a full-strength Rockets team in this one.
I see no reason not to hammer the Rockets to cover the spread tonight. Oklahoma City plays hard, but the confident Rockets should be able to take care of business here. Bet Houston on the road.
Rockets at Thunder Pick
Rockets -6.5 (-110)
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith has been a staff writer with GamblingSites.org since early 2017. Taylor is primarily a sports writer, though he will occasionally dabble in other things like politics and entertainment betting. His primary specialties are writing about the NBA, Major League Baseball, NFL and domestic and international soccer. Fringe sports like golf and horse racing aren’t exactly his cup of tea, bu …
