The Washington Wizards (9-10) will be at home when they challenge the Houston Rockets (10-12). Action begins at 7:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Dec. 9 and can be seen on RSW, WA2 and C+D.
The Wizards enter this game hoping for similar success after topping the Heat 114-103 on Monday. John Wall was the team’s leading scorer with 26 points on 9-for-13 shooting. The Rockets, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after their 110-105 loss against the Nets on Tuesday. Marcus Thornton had a game-high 32 points.
Wall has taken his game to another level over the last five games for the Wizards. During that stretch, he has averaged 28.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 9.4 assists, 3.0 steals, and 1.8 three-pointers.
This one might be a mistake-prone game for the Rockets offense, which ranks 28th in the NBA in miscues (turnover percentage of 16.2%). They’re matched up against the disruptive Washington defense, which causes the fourth-most turnovers in the league (16.6%).
The Wizards are a slim two-point favorite at home against Houston. The Over/Under (O/U) is sitting at 214 points for this matchup. The Wizards enter this game with records of 9-10 Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS). They are 2-3 SU and ATS against the Western Conference. Washington’s defenders rank fifth in the NBA in steals with 9.0 per game.
As for their opponent, the Rockets have 10-12 SU and 7-15 ATS records. Against the Eastern Conference, Houston is 3-6 SU and 1-8 ATS. The Rockets rely heavily on three-pointers on offense, ranking third in the league with 224 made (10.0 per game). Moving on to Houston’s defense, the Rockets are a terror in the passing lanes, averaging an impressive 10.4 steals per game.
These two meet for what will be their first head-to-head battle of the season. Houston won the last game in the matchup, bumping its SU record over the last 10 meetings to 7-3. The Wizards lead the matchup ATS with a record of 6-4.
Predictions: SU Winner – Hou, ATS Winner – Hou, O/U – Over
Notes
Washington is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games.
The total has gone OVER in 19 of Washington’s last 25 games at home.
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Washington’s last 13 games when playing Houston.
Washington is 4-16 SU in its last 20 games when playing Houston.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington’s last 6 games when playing at home against Houston.
Washington is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Houston.
Washington is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Houston.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston’s last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington.
On average, Houston puts up 103.0 points per game (ranked eighth). Washington ranks 25th in points allowed per game with 104.7.
Washington ranks 27th in points allowed per home game (106.3 PPG), while Houston ranks 10th in points per away game with 102.4.
The Houston Rockets are an even 1-1 when they keep their opponents to fewer than 100 points. The Washington Wizards have a losing record of 3-5 this season when they score less than 100.
The Houston Rockets have a 9-11 record when their opponents score 100 points or more. The Washington Wizards have a 6-5 record when they reach the century mark.
The Wizards have a defensive rating of 104.0 (ranked 21st), while the Rockets rank 17th for their offensive rating of 101.8.
The Washington Wizards average a field goal percentage of 44.3% this season. The Houston Rockets are 7-9 when opponents have a FG% of 44.3% or greater.
On average, the Washington Wizards attempt 24.0 three point field goals per game and the Houston Rockets attempt 30.0 per game. In games where they attempt at least 25 threes, Washington has a split 4-4 record, while Houston is 9-11.
The Washington Wizards, with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.40, rank 18th in the NBA. The Houston Rockets have a lower A/TO (1.26), ranking 28th.
Washington ranks 28th in rebounds per game with 41.1, while Houston ranks 21st with 43.5 per game.
The Houston Rockets rank sixth in offensive rebounding, while the Washington Wizards rank 26th in defensive rebounding.
Washington ranks fourth in forced turnovers with an average rate of 16.6%. Houston has a 5-6 record when they suffer a turnover rate equal to or exceeding this.
