The Rockets are playing the second of back-to-back games, while the pacers are looking for a fourth straight win over Houston. With plenty of picks and markets to choose from, don’t waste your time and join the action at Get More Sports.
Houston Rockets at Indiana Pacers
Spread: Houston Rockets -3 (-110) at BetDSI Sportsbook
Total: Over/Under 222.5 points (-110)
The Rockets are in the hunt for the sixth consecutive win
The Houston Rockets are currently 10-3 and in the second position in the Western Conference with the same record as the reigning champions Golden State Warriors. They won five in a row, and latest three came in Houston, so the Rockets are now trying to prolong the winning streak on the road. Indiana is playing high tempo, attractive basketball, and this matchup should provide plenty of excitement.
The Rockets led throughout the entire game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday and win 111:96 mainly because of the solid three-point shooting as they hit 16 threes on 45 attempts (25.6%). They had five more rebounds than the opponents (46-41) and recorded 14 steals opposite to Memphis’ nine. James Harden led the Rockets with 38 points (11-25 FG, 6-14 3PT, 10-14 FT), eight assists, and four boards, Eric Gordon followed him with 26 points (7-16 FG, 6-11 3PT, 6-7 FT), while Ryan Anderson added 12 points, six rebounds, and two steals. P.J. Tucker contributed with 11 points, seven boards, and game-high three thefts, while Clint Capela posted seven points, game-high 14 rebounds, two steals, and game-high three rejections. Houston limited Marc Gasol and Mike Conley to just 27 points combined and cut Memphis lead to 2-1 in the season series as the Grizzlies won the previous two encounters in this campaign. Harden’s matchup with Victor Oladipo should be the highlight of the Sunday’s game in what could turn out to be a classic shootout. Capela and Myles Turner will fight under the rims, while Anderson has a tricky matchup with Thaddeus Young, who is a solid defender, and will likely push Ryan out of the paint, but Anderson can be lethal from beyond the arc.
Mike D’Antoni still cannot count on last summer’s addition Chris Paul, as the point guard is still recovering from a bruised knee, but is hopeful to see the former Clipper on the court in the next couple of weeks. Paul took part in light practice on Friday, and while still need time to recover fully, his return will make this team even better, and we can only imagine how good they’ll play then. At the moment, Harden and Gordon are doing a great job, but Gordon will move back to the bench when Paul is fit to play. Nene Hilario will not feature in Indianapolis due to rest, and considering how good Clint Capela is, the Rockets will not miss Nene on this one. The Rockets are scoring 110.50 points per contest on average (5th in the NBA), while they are allowing 104.08 points in return (10th in the NBA). Houston is defending rim quite well so far, allowing only 40.08 rebounds per match to the opponents, which is good enough for the second place in the league.
Place: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Date/Time: Sunday, November 12th, 2017, 6 PM ET
TV Coverage: FOX SPORTS INDIANA, ATTSN-SW, SPORTSNET ONE
The Pacers return home after two-game road trip
The Indiana Pacers ended the four-game losing streak with a 105:87 win over the Chicago Bulls and are now hoping to beat the Rockets for the fourth time in a row. They are currently 6-7, and although it is early in the season, the Pacers could be in the playoff picture if continue to play like this despite being labeled as underdogs prior to the 2017/18 campaign. Indiana already defeated Minnesota, Cleveland, and San Antonio so far, so another big boys’ scalp is not impossible.
The Pacers had an excellent shot from the field in Chicago (51.2%), while they contained the Bulls to miserable 39.8%. Indiana scored 12 threes on 29 attempts (41.4%), and had eight rebounds more than Chicago (51-43), so the hosts couldn’t do anything to hold the Pacers down. Victor Oladipo led Indiana with 25 points, six boards, six assists, and two steals, while Bojan Bogdanovic was right behind on a box chart with season-high 22 points and seven rebounds. Thaddeus Young chipped in with 13 points and eight boards, Myles Turner had 11 points, nine rebounds, and game-high three blocks, while Cory Joseph recorded ten points, game-high seven dimes, four boards, and game-high three thefts. Once again, Indiana showed reasonable depth on the roster and managed to win even without Sabonis and Collison playing a significant role in the offense. Turner and Sabonis are players to watch in the battle of frontcourts as the Rockets will likely run smaller lineup, so there is a substantial opportunity for Indiana’s centers to post double-doubles. Oladipo will be the main man in the offense, but if Bogdanovic repeats an excellent display, the Pacers could make another upset. Bojan has a rough matchup with defensive specialist Trevor Ariza, and the Croatian is not known for playing well against tight marking, so he also should be under the spotlight on Sunday.
Nate McMillan finally has the core of his team healthy and is delighted to have Turner back, so now with him, Sabonis, Young, and Al Jefferson as a backup center, the Pacers are looking strong below the rims. They also have a pair of sold point guards – Darren Collison and Cory Joseph, and with Lance Stephenson off the bench to add more experience, Indiana has a respectable squad, and the Rocket will have a lot to do to come away victorious from Indianapolis. The Pacers are scoring 109.00 points per contest on average (8th in the NBA), while they are allowing 108.38 points in return (25th in the NBA). Indiana is among the top five teams (5th) in the league when it comes to field goal percentage (47.80%), while the Pacers are the sixth from the perimeter (38.30%).
Houston Rockets at Indiana Pacers Trends & Prediction
The Rockets are 7-6 against the spread (3-4 away), while they are 6-7 on over/under (3-4 away), so it is not easy to play on them thus far in the season. However, considering the offenses of both teams, and the way how the Rockets are playing mathematical basketball, I expect to see more than 225 points on this one so that I would go with OVER here.
The Pacers are 7-6 against the spread (3-2 home), while they are 7-6 on over/under (2-3 home), and although it is tough to predict the spread in this clash, as it could go either way easily, I am backing bunch of points on both ends.
My Pick: Pass
Total: Over 222.5 points (-110)
