The Houston Rockets play the second of back to back games on the road as they invade South Beach and take on the Miami Heat on Thursday 12/20/18.
The Houston Rockets continue to look for the form that made them the NBA’s best regular season team last year. Houston finished with a franchise best 65-17 last season but heading to the Wednesday game against the Washington Wizards, the Rockets are only 15-14 and already three losses away from tying last season’s total.
James Harden leads the league in scoring with his 31.5 points per game average. The reigning NBA MVP is averaging 38.6 points per game in his last five games entering Wednesday. Harden also leads Houston with 8.2 assists per game. Clint Capela is averaging a double-double with 17.2 points and a team best 11.7 rebounds per game.
The Rockets are in the bottom ten of many key statistical categories. Houston is 21st in scoring at 108.7 points per game, 28th in assists at 21.1 dimes per contest and 27th in rebounding at 40.8 boards per contest. Defensively though, the Rockets allow just the 108.7 points per game (same as their scoring average) which is tied for 10th best in the entire NBA.
The Miami Heat have won four out of their last six games to near the Eastern Conference’s Top 8. Miami defeated the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans in their previous two games to improve to 13-16 on the season and move to 9th place in the Eastern Conference team standings.
Josh Richardson is averaging 18.6 points per game to lead Miami in scoring. Goran Dragic is 2nd in scoring and tops in passing at 15.3 points and 4.9 assists per game. Hassan Whiteside is putting up a double-double with 13.4 points and 13.3 rebounds per game. Veteran guard Dwyane Wade is scoring 14.7 points per game in his “Last Dance”, the final season of his storied NBA career.
The Heat are ranked 23rd in the entire NBA in team scoring and assists this season at 106.8 points and 22.8 assists per game. However, Miami has been solid on the defensive end this season, averaging 47.5 rebounds per game which is 4th best in the NBA right now. Miami’s scoring defense of 107.7 points per game allowed is also the 9th best in the league.
The Rockets and Heat have played a total of 62 times during the regular season and both teams are currently even at 31-31 in their head to head series. Houston though, has won five out of their last eight meetings between these two teams.
Entering Wednesday’s games, Houston is 4-1 SU in their last five games played and the Rockets are 7-9 SU in 16 road games played this season. The Heat are 3-2 SU in their last five games played and are only 5-9 in 14 home games this season. Head to head, the Rockets have won six out of their last 10 meetings.
The Rockets are having an up and down season. Heading to Wednesday, they have won four in a row. Prior to that though, they lost three in a row. As a result, the Rockets have not been able to build a momentum that would put them above the .500 mark for good. And by staying near that mark means they have only been playing mediocre this season.
The Rockets enter this game having played the previous night at home against the Wizards. Historically though, the Rockets are 7-3 in their last 10 Game 2s of a back to back schedule. The Heat meanwhile are only 5-9 at home this season but have won three out of their last four home games against Western Conference teams. It’s also interesting to note that the Heat are 7-3 SU in their last 10 meetings in Miami. The Rockets are playing their second game in two nights, they have lost six of their last eight road games, they play poor defense and are playing a well rested, competitive and proud Heat team. We’re picking the Miami Heat to beat the Houston Rockets on 12/20/18.
The Rockets are 5-4-1 ATS in their last 10 games played. Houston is only 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games played. The Heat are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games played and Miami is only 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games. Head to head, These teams are an even 5-5 ATS in their last 10 games played and also 5-5 ATS in their last 10 meetings in Miami.
The Heat are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games overall. The Heat are also 3-2 ATS in their last five meetings versus the Rockets in Miami. The Rockets are 2-4 ATS in their last six Game 2s of a back to back. As I mentioned above, the Heat are well-rested and should take advantage of the Rockets playing back to back games. Give me the plus points and the home team here. Prediction: Heat +3
The total has gone under in 16 out of the 29 games played by the Rockets this season. The over and under are at an even 5-5 in the Rockets’ last 10 games played away from home. The over is 15-14 in Miami’s season so far. The over and under are an even 7-7 in 14 home games played by the Heat this season.
The score total has at least been 208.5 points in eight out of the last 10 games overall played by the Heat. The score total has at least been 210 points in nine out of the Rockets last 10 games overall. These aren’t high scoring teams this season but the spread is very much within their reach. Prediction: Over 208.5
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