Nets at Rockets: Betting odds, point spread for Wednesday night
James Harden is excited for his first return to Houston since being traded, and the host Rockets (11-22) have lost 12 straight games. Understandably, Harden and the surging Nets (23-13) — who enter with nine wins in their last 10 outings — are big favorites, even on the road.
On paper, it’s a mismatch between the second-best team in the Eastern Conference and the second-worst squad in the West, by record. Yet, given the emotions of Harden’s homecoming in a nationally televised game, it wouldn’t be a shock for things to go at least a little off script.
The Nets remain without superstar forward Kevin Durant, due to a hamstring strain. But with Harden and Kyrie Irving leading the way, the Nets have more than enough surrounding talent and depth to overcome Durant’s absence, as they’ve done in several recent games.
The Rockets, on the other hand, don’t have the type of talent and depth to overcome the loss of star center Christian Wood. Since Wood’s right ankle sprain on Feb. 4, which will also keep him out Wednesday, Houston is 0-12. In the eight games before that injury, they were 7-1.
The Rockets will also be without David Nwaba (wrist), and they could be without Eric Gordon (knee) and Danuel House Jr. (knee), who are each questionable. To say the least, the odds appear daunting.
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Nets at Rockets: Lineups, injury reports, and broadcast info for Wednesday
The lines, courtesy of BetMGM
Point spread: Nets -9 (-110), Rockets +9 (-110)
Moneyline: Nets -400/Rockets +310
Over-under: 228.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
Player O/U Scoring Props: John Wall 25.5 (+100 O, -125 U), Victor Oladipo 21.5 (-115 O, -105 U), PJ Tucker 5.5 (-115 O, -110 U); James Harden 28.5 (-110 O, -110 U), Kyrie Irving 27.5 (-105 O, -125 U), Joe Harris 13.5 (-125 O, +100 U), Bruce Brown 12.5 (-115 O, -110 U)
Place your legal, online sports bets in CO, IN, MI, NV, NJ, PA, TN, and WV at BetMGM.
Wednesday’s probable starters for the Nets are Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Bruce Brown, Joe Harris, and native Houstonian DeAndre Jordan. Stephen Silas is expected to counter with John Wall, Victor Oladipo, Jae’Sean Tate, PJ Tucker, and Justin Patton for the Rockets.
Advice and prediction
Though the Nets should win regardless, whether they cover the large point spread is tricky, given all the emotions involved.
Perhaps the best bet could be for Wall to exceed his personal over/under scoring total. A five-time career All-Star with lots of pride, Wall appeared to take it personally when Harden sought to leave Houston earlier this season. With the Rockets short on rotation bodies and without another game for more than a week (due to the All-Star break), this feels like the type of environment where Wall will be extremely aggressive and seek to leave everything he has on the Toyota Center court.
Wall enters with momentum, having scored 32 points versus Cleveland on Monday, and expect that to continue versus Brooklyn.
Prediction: 113-104, Nets
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
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