Saturday’s game between the Rockets (1-7) and Denver Nuggets (4-4) is the fourth of a five-game road trip for Houston, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We have the latest point spread, money line odds and over-under number, as well as the information you need to make the smartest bet on Tipico Sportsbook.
The game tips off at 4 p.m. Central and can be viewed or streamed via AT&T SportsNet Southwest and NBA League Pass.
Led by Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Christian Wood, the young Rockets enter with six straight losses. However, they could be more dangerous than their lowly record appears. The competition against probable playoff teams has been steep, and they led well into the second half in a pair of competitive road losses to the Suns and Lakers.
As usual, the Nuggets (4-4) are led by reigning MVP Nikola Jokic in the middle and rising star Michael Porter Jr. on the wing. It’s a rare Saturday afternoon tip, which should enable the Rockets to reach the second stop of their back-to-back journey (San Francisco – Golden State) in enough time to get a full night’s rest prior to Sunday’s late game.
Rockets at Nuggets notable injuries:
Reserve forward Danuel House Jr. (right foot sprain) and starting center Daniel Theis (sore right big toe) have missed Houston’s last four and two games, respectively. While House is listed on the injury report as out, Theis is questionable. The veteran big man could be important, since he appears to be Houston’s best option to defend Jokic.
For the Nuggets, Vlatko Cančar is out with a left hip strain, while star guard Jamal Murray is out due to the left knee ACL injury he suffered late last season. Those are the only two injuries on Denver’s injury report.
The lines, courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook
- Point spread: Nuggets -11.5
- Money line: Rockets +550 / Nuggets -850
- Over-under: 216.5 points
Advice and prediction
After going under in each of their first six games of the 2021-22 season, Houston’s offense has finally taken flight during this week’s close losses to the Lakers and Suns. The Rockets averaged 114 points in those games, with the over easily cashing in both instances.
On the other hand, Denver enters Saturday with the NBA’s No. 4 defensive unit, and the potential return of Theis (for defensive purposes) could make for a slight downgrade on offense. We’ll anticipate a slight course correction by the Rockets after two high-scoring games.
Prediction: Nuggets 115, Rockets 101
This post originally appeared on Rockets Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
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