Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder 01/09/20 NBA Betting Odds and Preview

The Houston Rockets head to Oklahoma to take on the OKC Thunder at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on January 9, 2020.

The Rockets are the top team in the NBA’s Southwest Division with their 24-11 record entering Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. Houston has lost just twice in their last seven games played and will be playing their second road game in two nights. Meanwhile, the OKC Thunder are 8-2 in their last 10 games played. The Thunder lost to the Sixers last January 6th and bounced back with an OT win over the Brooklyn Nets last Tuesday.

Third Straight Win

The Houston Rockets posted their third straight win with a victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. 2018 NBA MVP James Harden posted his second straight 40-point triple-double with 41 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead the Rockets to a 122-115 win over the Hawks.

James Harden leads the league in scoring at 38.4 points per game entering Wednesday. Harden is also the team leader at 7.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Clint Capela leads the Rockets with 14.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game while also scoring an average of 14.5 points per contest. Russell Westbrook is averaging 24.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game.

Heading to Wednesday’s games, the Rockets lead the league in scoring at 119.1 points per game. They are 5th in rebounding at 47.1 boards grabbed per contest and are 26th in passing at 21.6 dimes per outing. Houston is in the Bottom 8 in scoring defense at 113.9 points per game this season.

Thunder on a Roll

The Thunder are on a roll right now and in fact, they have the best record in the Western Conference since Thanksgiving Day at 15-5 SU. In their last game, the Thunder outlasted the Brooklyn Nets in overtime. The win was their 11th of the season when trailing at the start of the final quarter.

Chris Paul scored 20 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to lead the Thunder to victory. CP3 finished the game with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues his splendid season with 22 points. Steven Adams had 10 points and 18 boards for OKC.

The Thunder rank 20th in the league in scoring at 108.8 points per game. They are giving up an average of 107.4 points per game this season, 17th most in the NBA. Oklahoma City is 24th off the boards at 43.5 rebounds per contest and they are 2nd to the last in passing at only 21.3 assists per game.

Who Wins?

Houston is 7-3 SU in their last 10 games played. The Rockets are 3-2 SU in their last five games played on the road, and 6-5 SU in their last 11 games played against the Western Conference. Oklahoma City is 8-2 SU in their last 10 games played. The Thunder are 3-1 SU in their last four games played at home, and 9-3 SU in their last 12 games played against the Western Conference. Head to head, the Thunder are 4-2 SU in their last six games played against the Rockets.

The Thunder are playing well right now. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 21.5 points and 7 rebounds in the Thunder’s last four victories. Chris Paul is coming off his highest-scoring game since December 17th but the Thunder could be without Danilo Gallinari who is listed as day to day with a calf injury.

The Rockets are playing the second of back to back games but the Thunder are also playing their third game in four nights. But remember that Houston rested Russell Westbrook on Wednesday night, meaning that Russ should be at full strength against his former team. I think the Rockets will have fresher legs despite playing back to back games and the return of Westbrook should be the key.

Prediction: Houston Rockets

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Other Bets to Make

The Rockets are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games played. Houston is 3-2 ATS in their last five games played on the road, and 6-5 ATS in their last 11 games played on the road against Western Conference opponents. The Thunder are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games played. Oklahoma City is 3-1 ATS in their last four games played at home, and 8-4 ATS in their last 12 home games against the Western Conference. Head to head, the Thunder are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games played against the Rockets.

The Rockets rested Westbrook against the Hawks on Wednesday so while the team is playing back to back games, they have an All-Star who is fresh, rested and playing against his former team. I expect the Rockets to win big, led by Harden and Westbrook

Prediction: Rockets -4

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The total has gone under in six out of the last 10 games by the Rockets. The over is 3-2 in the Thunder’s last five games played on the road. The total has also gone under in six out of the last 10 games played by the Thunder. OKC has seen the total go under in 14 out of their last 25 games against the Western Conference. Head to head, the total has gone under in seven out of the last 10 meetings between these two teams.

The Rockets are the highest-scoring team in the league this season and they play with the second-fastest pace in the NBA at 103.4 possessions per game this year and have scored an average of 123.33 points per game in their last three games played. The Thunder play a slow and methodical pace but they have scored an average of 115 points per game in their last three assignments. I know these two teams have played plenty of basketball in the last couple of days but there are just so many good scorers here, especially on the side of Houston.

Prediction: Over 226

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