The Houston Rockets are healthy again and rolling. With James Harden back in the lineup the team has looked good of late, including an ultra-impressive victory over the defending champion Golden State Warriors. Houston must hit the road next time out but it won’t be a big deal as they will make the short trip to take on the woeful Dallas Mavericks.
This used to be a nice rivalry but Dallas has fallen off lately and the Rockets should have no trouble coming into town and coming away with the victory. Even though they are at home, they have struggled there as well as on the road. The Rockets have done a nice job away from Houston and will be substantial favorites to take this one as well.
The biggest question will surround which team covers the spread as the Mavericks will get a solid number of points at home, which is a good combination even though their roster is inferior.
This war on the floor will go down Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at 8 p.m. ET at the American Airlines Center. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Wednesday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Rockets are 32-12 straight up and 22-21-1 against the spread. They have covered in 12 of 21 attempts on the road this season. Houston has gone 20-18-1 as the favorite as it has only been the underdog five times this year.
The Mavericks are 15-31 straight up and 23-23 against the spread. Dallas has covered in 11 of 24 attempts at home. Dallas has done well as the underdog, covering the spread in 19 of 33 attempts.
Last Meeting
The Rockets beat the Mavericks in convincing style, winning 107-91 at home on October 21st. Houston had control from the start of the first contest outscoring Dallas 62-39 in the first half and leading by 23 points at halftime.
The Rockets were up so big through three quarters that even a rally by Dallas in the fourth quarter did little to make this game competitive.
Jame Harden finished with a team-high 29 points and seven assists in the win and Eric Gordon added 19 points. Yogi Ferrell and J.J. Barea led the Mavericks’ effort with 19 points a piece. The Rockets had absolutely no problem rolling to the win in this matchup.
They would love cruise to another victory but Dallas will try to make it more competitive this time around. It’s hard for a team to win this easily in consecutive games but the Rockets are talented enough that it is possible.
Key Stat
1.6. That is the Mavericks’ negative point-differential, which isn’t great but it is better than the team’s record would suggest. Dallas has one of the worst records in the NBA but it has been held back by a bunch of close losses.
Those things often come down to luck moreso than skil. Nobody is confusing the Mavericks with a playoff team, but they are still better than their record would suggest. That is something important to keep in mind when the spread is released.
If the Mavericks are given a bunch of points in this one because of the team they are facing, they could be the right choice to cover.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The idea of an upset by Dallas seems quite unlikely because the duo of Harden and Paul will keep the Rockets offense humming. The Mavericks don’t have the horses to keep up but they should be considered on the spread because it is expected to be high.
Houston is going to win this game, but it won’t be quite the laugher that people expect. The “under” is the point total that needs to be considered as Dallas will succeed a little bit in slowing this contest down.
NBA Odds: Rockets 111, Mavericks 102
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