It’s not always you see the Brooklyn Nets, without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, favored by double-digit points. But that’s what the NBA lines dictate as they play host to the last-place Houston Rockets. This is the first time since January 2 when Brookly welcomed San Antonio during the Irving/Durant era that the Nets were this large a favorite. Still, can Brooklyn be trusted with a number this wide?
Rockets Are Awful
Thank you, Captain Obvious. Houston is the worst team in the NBA in more ways than one. Even on the NBA point spreads Houston is just 29-44-3. That 41.1% cover rate is the fourth worst. And as a road underdog, it’s worse as Houston covers one in every three games (12-24-0).
The Rockets’ glaring issues are not just on defense where the team consistently allows over 122 points per game. But it’s also on offense. Despite the talents of some of their young players, Houston is just 27th overall in offensive rating (110.2). They have no structure to their offense and their best players appear uncoachable.
Houston is dead last in the assist-to-turnover ratio and are second-worst in assist percentage and effective field goal percent. With lackadaisical defending and disorganized scoring, Houston consistently gets blown out. That’s why it’s tough to bet online on this team despite being spotted 10+ points.
What are the Nets?
But while we can trust the Rockets to be a terrible team, it’s harder to trust the Nets to be a good team. Brooklyn went from blowing out Miami as a six-point underdog to getting starched by Orlando. Fair play, it was on the second night of a back-to-back. But this team also has wins in Denver and Boston but losses versus Chicago and Oklahoma City.
Making Brooklyn an NBA pick can be a tricky thing. The Nets are 8-15 since the Irving deal but are 13-10 against the spread (ATS). Its offense has declined to 25th overall (112.3) while its defense is average, ranked 17th (115.4).
Mikal Bridges has taken control as the team’s leading man. He not only puts up nearly 27 points a game, but the Nets are 7.7 points better when he’s on the floor. But he’s usually on his own. The game against Orlando was a prime example as he scored 44 points while the other starters combined to score just 29.
Rockets vs Nets Game Injuries
Rockets vs Nets Head-to-Head
Houston is j1-5 ATS in its last six games. It has also lost five straight on the road. Brooklyn is not much better: just 1-6 in its last seven games. But the Nets are 5-1 ATS in their last six games versus the Southwest Division.
Rockets vs Nets Game Information
- Game: Rockets (18-58) vs Nets (40-35)
- Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
- Day/Time: Wednesday, March. 29th, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Rockets vs Nets Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Rockets vs Nets Betting Lines
Rockets vs Nets Picks and Prediction
Both sides are relatively healthy here – minus Ben Simmons for the Nets per NBA news. But given everything, you can’t back Houston. This team is j8-17-1 ATS as an underdog of 10+ points. Brooklyn is still playing to keep its playoff spot and will be more motivated hence why a blowout is possible.
The Houston Rockets are listed at +415 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Rockets, you can win $415. The Brooklyn Nets are -550, offering a chance to win $18 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Rockets a 19.42% chance to win, with the Nets at 84.62%
Rockets vs Nets Trends
Rockets vs Nets Edge
Rockets vs Nets Results
Rockets vs Nets Game Summary
Nets vs Rockets Previous Game (May 7, 2022)
The Brooklyn Nets will travel to face the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, with the teams winning in their last two games. Before this run, the teams hadn’t played great and were on extensive losing streaks. Both teams have been bad options for NBA picks, with the Nets going through a roster transition and the Rockets prioritizing better draft odds.
On Sunday, the Nets controlled the Charlotte Hornets, 102-86, trying to keep their NBA playoff odds from dropping too drastically. Meanwhile, the Rockets faced the San Antonio Spurs in a home-away back-to-back, winning 122-110 and 142-110.
