The Houston Rockets have lost some ground on the other Western Conference powers with star James Harden sidelined. They are hoping he gets back this week, and Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves would be the quickest possible return.
Harden’s availability will have a huge effect on the spread. The Rockets lost at home to the Clippers last time out and may only be slight favorites against Minnesota if Harden remains out with a hamstring strain. But if he returns the Rockets would zoom to substantial favorites.
Houston is one of the best teams in the NBA when their MVP candidate is healthy so keep a close eye on that development. The T-Wolves are playing well and figure to have a shot at the road upset if the Rockets are without Harden.
This war on the floor will go down Thursday, January 15, 2018, at 10:30 p.m. ET at the Staples Center. The game will be televised live on TNT.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Monday schedule
Odds Analysis
The Timberwolves are 29-16 straight up and 22-21-2 against the spread. Minnesota is 11-9-1 against the spread on the road this season. The T-Wolves have been the underdog 13 times this season and have covered seven times.
The Rockets are 30-12 straight up and 20-21-1 against the spread. Houston has only gone 8-13-1 against the spread at home on the year. The Rockets are 19-17-1 against the spread as the favorite.
Injury Report
Harden has been out since suffering the hamstring strain on Dec. 31 against the Lakers. The Rockets have gone only 4-3 with him out of the lineup and could really use him back in the fold.
It may be too much to ask to catch the Warriors in the standings but finishing as the No. 2 seed would be a nice showing. Harden has averaged 32.3 points, 9.1 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game this season.
He is expected back against the Timberwolves at the earliest, or maybe later in the week.
Key Stat
Five. That’s the number of wins the Timberwolves have compiled in a row heading into Tuesday’s matchup against the Magic. MInnesota has won all of them by double digits as it is beginning to flex its muscle as one of the better teams in the West.
The T-Wolves have actually passed the Spurs for the No. 3 spot in the standings, and it would be a big upset if they can remain there down the stretch. Minnesota started this streak with an 18-point win over the Pelicans, and then dominated the Cavaliers, 127-99.
The T-Wolves followed that up with a 16-point win over the Thunder, a 10-point win over the Knicks and a 17-point win over the Trail Blazers. Minnesota has turned some heads with its recent streak and a win in Houston would really get the attention of the league.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Timberwolves are playing very well and figure to hang around in this one. Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins are all very good players and will give the Rockets trouble.
Much of this comes down to whether or not Harden plays. The belief is that Houston will be cautious and keep him out for one more game. If that happens, take the Timberwolves to pull off a big upset on the road. The presence of Harden would both change the spread and the outcome of this game.
It would also raise the scoring total. Houston is a good offense without Harden but an elite one with him in the lineup. The choice here is for Harden on the sideline but take the Rockets to win if he is able to play, even if his minutes are limited.
NBA Odds: Timberwolves 114, Rockets 110
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