Up-And-Coming Thunder Taking on Dead-Last Rockets
The Houston Rockets “improved” on their league-worst record on Monday following another double-digit loss, this time to the Philadelphia 76ers. Houston has currently lost six games in a row and has just 13 wins throughout the entire season.
Next up is a visit to the Oklahoma City Thunder to face a team that’s won three out of their last five games and is two games under .500 on the season.
Will Houston finally get back into the win column or at least cover the NBA betting odds?
Let’s check the latest NBA news, stats, injury report and NBA lines for the Rockets vs Thunder. We’ve got plenty of NBA picks for you to consider.
Rockets Struggling for Points
One of the reasons why the Rockets are struggling so badly is that they’re second-last in points per game. Only the Miami Heat average less per outing.
There have been a few reasons for this struggle, with some falling strictly on how the roster was constructed. The majority of it comes from an inability to work with one another. The chemistry hasn’t been there for a while, and there isn’t much passing out of this unit.
To make matters worse, their best facilitator might miss this contest. Kevin Porter Jr. missed the previous game with a foot injury and is once again questionable here. Porter Jr. leads the team with 5.6 assists per game.
If he’s out, he’ll leave Jalen Green to lead the offense. Green averages a team-high 21.9 points per game, though there isn’t a single other players on the roster that averages over 20. In fact, nobody on the roster averages over 16 points per game besides Green and Porter.
Thunder Led by Young Superstar
Oklahoma City is rebuilding, but it appears to be going better than expected. While the Thunder is the No. 12 team in the West right now, they are just a win or two away from moving up as high as the No. 7 seed.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has really taken another step in the right direction this season, averaging 30.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game. He has also proven to be a more than capable defender, racking up 1.7 steals per game.
The Thunder also have a few other players that have contributed in major areas. Josh Giddey has averaged 16.4 points, 7.8 boards, and 5.9 assists per game for example. Lugentz Dort has locked in as their best perimeter defender.
Also, youngster Jalen Williams has really come out of nowhere to drop off 12.2 points a night. They’re a fun team to watch right now, and those who bet online will expect them to win this game.
Rockets vs Thunder Game Injuries
Rockets vs Thunder Head-to-Head
These two teams have already met twice in February, each taking one of those games. One of those meetings was in OKC, where the Thunder won 153-121.
Rockets vs Thunder Game Information
- Game: Rockets (13-44) vs Thunder (27-29)
- Location: Paycom Center, Houston, TX
- Day/Time: Wednesday, Feb. 15, 8:00 p.m. ET
- Rockets vs Thunder Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Rockets vs Thunder Betting Lines
Rockets vs Thunder Picks and Prediction
The Rockets don’t look like a good bet in the sportsbook for this matchup. The Thunder have a genuine star leading the way offensively, with a lockdown defender potentially suiting up in Dort.
The Rockets are just as young, yet struggle with chemistry and could even be missing Porter on top of that.
The Thunder are at home where they are 16-12, but they’re fresh off a home loss. However, they haven’t lost two in a row at home in over two months. They’re the better choice for your NBA picks, as they should bounce back here.
Oklahoma City is listed at -475 in our Vegas NBA lines. So, if you wager $100 on the Thunder, there’s a chance to win $21. Houston is +360, with a chance to win $360 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Thunder an 82.61% chance to win, with the Rockets at 21.74%.
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
Rockets vs Thunder Trends
Rockets vs Thunder Edge
Rockets vs Thunder Results
Rockets vs Thunder Game Summary
Rockets vs Thunder Previous Game (Feb. 04, 2023)
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets collide for the second time in three days after the Rockets upset OKC, 112-106. The Thunder had a few days to think about that loss, while the Rockets are coming off a Friday night loss to the Toronto Raptors and will be sans rest.
All the research we did on Wednesday’s game remains valid, and I am going the same way with my pick this weekend. Bad teams beat good teams all the time. But rarely do they win back-to-back games against them.
The Rockets are still the worst team in the league, have a terrible ATS record, and are on the road on the second night of a back-to-back.
This game has revenge win written all over it.
