The Phoenix Suns (16-26) square off against the Houston Rockets (29-11) at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The game can be seen on ESPN at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday, January 12, 2018.
The game’s Over/Under (O/U) opened at 227 points with Houston set as a 7.5-point favorite.
Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns Betting Prediction
The Rockets come in on a high note after defeating the Portland Trail Blazers in their last outing, 121-112. Houston’s rebounding was their largest advantage. The Rockets had 17 offensive rebounds and 49 total rebounds, while the Trail Blazers had six and 40, respectively. With 37 points on 13-for-29 shooting, Chris Paul was the game’s leading scorer.
In the Suns’ last game, they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 114-100. The Suns had an extraordinarily low turnover percentage of 6.7 (better than their season average of 13.5), while the Thunder had a free throw rate of 0.140 (below their season average of 0.181). With 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Phoenix’s Josh Jackson had a solid game.
The prolific offense of Houston will clash against the bottom-tier defense of Phoenix. The Rockets currently rank second in offensive efficiency, while the Suns are 27th in defensive efficiency. The Rockets should have the advantage on that side of the ball.
Houston holds records of 29-11 straight up (SU) and 19-20-1 against the spread (ATS). Just over half of the Rockets’ games have finished over the total.
Meanwhile, Phoenix is 16-26 SU and 20-20-2 ATS. A little over half of Suns games have also finished over the total.
Several players have been playing well over the last five games for Houston. Paul has led the way, averaging 20.8 points, 10.8 assists, 6.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. Eric Gordon (20.0 points, 6.0 assists and 1.2 steals) and Gerald Green (20.6 points) have also been exceptional.
This is the second game of the season between these two teams. James Harden scored a game-high 48 points in the first matchup, in which the Rockets defeated the Suns 142-116, covering as 12.5-point favorites. He also recorded seven assists. The game finished with a total of 258 points, which was 27.5 points above the projected point total of 230.5 points. Houston did a fantastic job of getting and making free throws (35-38; 92.1 percent). Phoenix, meanwhile, had a better turnover percentage (11.0 vs. 11.6).
Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Rockets, ATS Winner – Rockets, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
On the road, Houston is 11-8 ATS with 11 unders, 7 overs and 1 push.
Phoenix is 9-12-1 ATS at home with 11 unders, 10 overs and 1 push.
Houston is 12-2 when they allow below 100 points, while Phoenix is 5-2.
The Suns are 12-16 when they reach 100 points, while the Rockets are 29-8.
Houston ranks fourth in steals per game (8.8) while Phoenix ranks 28th in steals allowed per game (8.8).
The Rockets rank third in rebounds allowed per game (41.2) while the Suns rank 25th (45.1).
Houston averages 18.2 points off turnovers per game, which ranks fifth in the league. Phoenix ranks 26th in points off turnovers allowed per game (18.8).
The Rockets rank first in three pointers attempted per game (43.5) while the Suns rank 21st (26.6).
Houston ranks 10th in second chance points allowed per game (11.8) while Phoenix ranks 26th (13.8).
The Suns average 13.8 fast break points per game, which ranks sixth in the league. The Rockets rank 22nd in fast break points allowed per game (12.4).
Phoenix averages 45.6 points in the paint per game, which ranks 11th in the league. Houston ranks 26th in points allowed in the paint per game (47.8).
The Rockets average 4.7 blocks per game, which ranks 13th in the league. The Suns rank 26th in blocks allowed per game (5.4).
Houston ranks 16th in assists per game (22.6) while Phoenix ranks 27th (20.7).
Bettings Trends:
In their last five games, Houston is 3-2 ATS with 3 overs and 2 unders.
Phoenix is 1-3-1 ATS with 3 unders and 2 overs over their last five games.
The Rockets’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 3.8, down from 7.8 for the season.
During their last five games, the Suns have scored an average of 105.6 points per game (0.1 below their season average) and allowed an average of 112.6 points per game (0.5 above their season average).
