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The Houston Rockets scored 90 points by halftime the last time they faced the Phoenix Suns, cruising to an easy win. This time could be harder, because they won’t have MVP candidate James Harden at their disposal. Houston must hit the road for this contest and is looking for every win it can muster as it jockeys for position in a muddle Western Conference playoff race.
The Rockets had the best record in the West to begin the year but have been overtaken by the Warriors. The Spurs are on their heels so this is a perilous time with Harden shelved. The Suns have played better of late but it would still be an upset if they make the playoff as they are still in rebuilding mode.
However, young teams play better at home and the absence of Harden should make this one a fairer fight. The Rockets figure to be the favorites but it shouldn’t be a laugher like the first meeting in Phoenix.
This war on the floor will go down Friday, January 12, 2018, at 10:30 p.m. ET at the Talking Stick Resort Arena. 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 Friday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Suns are 16-26 straight up and 20-20-2 against the spread. Phoenix has gone 9-12-1 against the spread at home and they are 19-18-1 as the underdogs.
The Rockets are 28-11 straight up and 18-20-1 against the spread. Houston has covered in 11 of 19 attempts this season on the road. The Rockets are 17-17-1 against the spread as the favorite.
Injury Report
Harden — The Houston swingman suffered a hamstring injury a week ago and is still expected to miss a few more games. It’s a huge blow as Harden has established himself as one of the elite players in the NBA.
He is averaging 32.3 points, 9.1 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range.
Harden had 48 points against the Suns in the first meeting and is the big reason why Houston is a title contender. Chris Paul will be the leader without him on the court and the role players will have more of an opportunity to step up.
Houston shot a bunch of three-pointers with Harden leading the way and that hasn’t changed without him. They love playing at a fast clip and shooting from downtown. The Suns must be aware of that and close out on the shooters.
Player To Watch
Devin Booker — Without Harden on the floor the Suns could have a chance in this one, but their best player needs to have a good game. Booker has taken another step forward this season and is becoming a star for Phoenix.
He is averaging 24.9 points per game along with 4.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Booker is shooting 44.2 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from three-point range.
He has dealt with injuries this year but is back on the court and playing well. If the Suns are to take the next step in their evolution, it will include the blossoming of Booker. The Rockets figure to score a lot of points in this game so he needs to play well to keep the Suns in the contest.
Free NBA ATS Picks
Even without Harden, the Rockets are the better team. However, this game isn’t going to be like the first matchup, when it was basically decided by the end of the first quarter. Look for Phoenix to hang around in what should be an entertaining up and down affair.
The Rockets should win, but the Suns are the choice to cover if the spread gets too high.
NBA Odds: Rockets 117 , Suns 113
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