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The Houston Rockets head to Mile High to take on the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.
Harden’s Streak Continues
The Rockets continue to be hounded by injuries but they have kept themselves afloat behind James Harden’s incredible scoring run. Harden’s run of 30-point game remains active and is now at 24 games. He kept the streak alive by scoring 37 points in a losing effort against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.
Houston ranks 13th in team scoring at 112.3 points per game. The Rockets are also 16th in scoring defense with an average of 110.9 points per game allowed. However, the team ranks just 28th in passing with 20.8 assists per game and only 27th off the glass with 41.9 rebounds per contest.
Houston Rockets vs Denver Nuggets 2/1/19
Moneyline Odds: Rockets +170, Nuggets -200
Odds from gtbets.eu as of 2/1/19
Proving To Be Elite
The Denver Nuggets continue to prove that they belong in the rank of elites as they remain one game behind the Golden State Warriors in the ultra-competitive Western Division. At 35-15, the Nuggets have won 12 out of their last 15 games including their last four games overall. The main reason behind Denver’s success this season is of course their main man Nikola Jokic.
The Nuggets are just 16th in the league in scoring at 111.5 points per game. However, Denver owns the 6th best scoring defense in the entire NBA at 105.8 points per game allowed. The Nuggets are also ranked 3rd in passing and 7th in rebounding at 27.2 dimes per contest and 46.8 boards per game.
Who Wins?
Houston is 6-4 SU in their last 10 games including 1-2 SU in three road games during that period. Denver is 7-3 SU in their last 10 games played. The Nuggets are 5-1 SU in six home games over that stretch. Head to head, the Rockets are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games versus the Nuggets.
On the other hand, the Nuggets also have a superstar who is doing everything for his team. Like Harden has taken over Houston, Nikola Jokic has embraced his role as the leader of this young Denver squad. The Nuggets have likewise been hampered by injuries and right now Jamal Murray and Gary Harris, the #2 and #3 scorers on the team, may not see action in this game. But Jokic has been so good and so unselfish that he’s gotten the best out of whoever he is playing with on the floor. As a result, Denver is the #2 team in the West right now and they have won 12 of 15 and four straight games heading to this contest.
Denver has been exceptional at home, going 22-4 on the season. Houston is just 10-13 on the road.
I’m picking the Denver Nuggets to beat the Houston Rockets on 2/1/19.
Other Bets To Make
The Rockets are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games played. Houston is 0-3 ATS in their last three road games. The Nuggets are 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games played. Denver is 4-2 ATS in their last six home games played. Head to head, the Rockets are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 meetings with the Nuggets.
Houston Rockets vs Denver Nuggets 2/1/19
Spread Odds: Rockets +5.5, Nuggets -5.5
Odds from gtbets.eu as of 2/1/19
The Rockets are struggling against the spread right now as they are just 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall and 0-4 ATS in their last four games. Meanwhile, the Nuggets are rolling with a four-game winning streak and have been solid at home. Denver is 4-0 ATS in their last four home games and also 4-0 ATS in their last four games against a team with a losing road record. Harden is having a fantastic stretch but Jokic is likewise putting up great numbers for the Nuggets and also doing it all.
Prediction: Nuggets -5.5
The over is is 6-4 in the Rockets’ last 10 games played. The total has gone under in two out of the last three road games played by the Rockets. Meanwhile, Denver has seen the total hit over in seven out of their last 10 games played. The total has gone over in each of the last six home games played by the Nuggets .
Houston Rockets vs Denver Nuggets 2/1/19
Over/Under Odds: Over 227 -109, Under 227 -109
Odds from gtbets.eu as of 2/1/19
These teams are in the bottom five in the league when we talk about pace or the number of possessions used in a game. The Rockets are at #26 with 100.2 possessions per game while the Nuggets are at #28 with 99.6 possessions per game. The Nuggets are 6th in scoring defense and have the manpower to ground Harden. Denver has allowed fewer than 100 points in three out of their last five games played and have held 17 opponents to below the century mark this season. They over may be 6-0 in their last six home games but only once in those six games did the total go over 227 and that was against the Warriors. Houston has Harden but doesn’t score as much as the Dubs.
Prediction: Under 227
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