The Houston Rockets (12-32) travel to Golden 1 Center Sunday to take on the Sacramento Kings (18-27). Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Rockets at Kings odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
In the second part of their two-game series, the Rockets will remain in Sacramento, where they lost by 12 Friday. Christian Wood and Marvin Bagley both dropped 26 points with De’Aaron Fox having a game-high 27.
The Rockets, who went on an odd 7-game win streak earlier this season, are 18-25-1 ATS.
However, they’ve struggled immensely to keep games close lately, covering just 2 of their last 10, failing to cover twice as double-digit underdogs. The opposite can be said for the Kings, who have covered three straight.
The Kings are 20-25 ATS this season and are just 5-5 as home favorites.
Rockets at Kings odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:50 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Rockets +180 (bet $100 to win $180) | Kings -230 (bet $230 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Rockets +5.5 (-108) | Kings -5.5 (-112)
- Over/Under (O/U): 239.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
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Rockets at Kings key injuries
Rockets
- None
Kings
- C Richaun Holmes (Competition Reconditioning) questionable
- C Tristan Thompson (non-Covid illness) out
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Rockets at Kings odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Kings 125, Rockets 118
Money line
PASS on the money line. Sacramento is the better team, but they’re marginally better, making a -230 too steep. I would only consider this value if it dropped under -170.
Against the spread
BET on the KINGS -5.5 (-110).
The Kings covered as 5.5-point favorites at home against Houston Friday. The Rockets have opted not to play defense the past few weeks.
They’ve allowed 130 or more points in 3 of their last 10 games. They’ve allowed 120 or more points in 8 of their last 10. It has been disgusting to watch, and those rights won’t be corrected against a lethal Kings attack.
The Kings rank 19th in offensive rating and 15th in turnover rate. The Rockets, on the other hand, rank dead last in turnover rate, primarily due to their ultra-young backcourt.
Nonetheless, I’ll take the Kings in this position.
Over/Under
“LEAN” on the OVER 239.5 (-108).
I’d certainly prefer Kings spread in this game, but there’s no reason to believe defense will be played. The Kings are 22-22-1 O/U this season, and the Rockets are 26-18.
The Kings have gone Over in 5 of their last 8. Meanwhile, the Rockets have gone Over, mainly due to their inability to defend, in 4 of their last 5.
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