The Phoenix Suns have cooled off a bit after a hot start, while the Houston Rockets are still looking for some liftoff in the post-James Harden era.
Both look to put a halt on their respective two-game losing streaks when they face off in a Western Conference tilt where oddsmakers have the Suns as 5.5-point road favorites.
These are our favorite NBA free picks and predictions for Suns vs. Rockets on Wednesday, Jan. 20, with tip-off set for 9:30 p.m. ET.
Phoenix Suns at Houston Rockets Betting Preview
Injuries
Suns: Cameron Payne G (Questionable), Damian Jones C (Out), Dario Saric F (Out), Jalen Smith (Out).
Rockets: Sterling Brown G (Questionable), John Wall G (Out), Danuel House Jr. F (Out), Dante Exum G (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
The Under is 7-2 in the Suns last nine games as a favorite and 7-1-1 in the Rockets last nine games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Suns vs. Rockets.
NBA Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonPhoenix moved from -5.5 to -6 and back at DraftKings, and four hours before the 9:30 p.m. ET tipoff, the Suns are taking 75 percent of bets, but just 56 percent of money on the spread. The total dipped from 220 to 218.5, then rebounded to 219.5, with 73 percent of bets on the Over and 52 percent of money on the Under.
Check out the full line movement for this gameAgainst the Spread (ATS) Pick
After starting the season a scorching-hot 5-1, the Suns have dropped four of their last six contests, going just 2-4 ATS over that span. Future Hall-of-Fame point guard Chris Paul has come in and transformed the Suns' defense, but the once-potent offense looks like it has taken a hit in the process, scoring 107 points or fewer in six of their last eight games.
The Rockets, on the other hand, have dropped two in a row after winning their first game without James Harden. Rockets head coach Stephen Silas might finally be able to do his job with Harden's sideshow now gone. But the Rockets are still trying to find their identity under Silas.
Houston ranks 19th in offensive rating, and 18th in defensive rating, and got a great debut from Victor Oladipo in his Rockets debut. The former All-star put up 32 points, nine assists and five rebounds in his first game with his new team, but he will have a much tougher time against the Suns tenacious guards. To make things tougher on the Rockets, they will also be without starting guard John Wall.
The Suns haven’t been a great bet recently, but the Rockets have been one of the worst bets all season long, going 4-8 ATS and 2-6 ATS over their last six games. That has us laying the points with the Suns, who we expect to rise again in this matchup.
PREDICTION: Suns -5.5 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
A total of 219.5 seems a little high when you consider the two teams that are matching up. As mentioned, the Suns haven’t been scorching the nets like they used to, averaging 110.5 points over their last eight games.
While the Rockets put up 120 points last time out, that was against the uber-fast pace of the Chicago Bulls. For the season, they average 110.2 points per game, but have seen downward momentum with Harden and John Wall, putting up 109 points or fewer in six of their last eight games.
With the Under trending for both teams, it's hard to fade it in this matchup.
PREDICTION: Under 219.5 (-110)
Player Prop
It isn’t surprising considering their roster makeup, but the Rockets are not a great rebounding team. Houston ranks 26th in opponent rebounds per game, and they’ll have a hard time dealing with the length of the Suns. Deandre Ayton is obviously the Suns' biggest monster on the glass, but wing Mikal Bridges brings us some nice value with his rebounding prop in this one. Bridges averages 5.6 rebounds per game and has gone above this number eight times in his 12 games played this season. He cashes the over once again in this one.
PREDICTION: Mikal Bridges Over 4.5 Rebounds (-130)
Suns vs Rockets Betting Card
- Suns -5.5 (-110)
- Under 219.5 (-110)
- Mikal Bridges Over 4.5 Rebounds (-130)
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s NBA Suns vs. Rockets picks, you could win $54.48 on a $10 bet?
Use our NBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where Can I Bet on the NBA?
You can bet on NBA odds at every online and casino sportsbook, including NBA moneylines, spreads, Over/Under totals and a ton of NBA prop odds. Head over to our best-suggested sportsbooks for the top spots to bet on NBA odds in your area.
