Denver @ Houston picks

After sitting out six games, Jamal Murray just returned from a hamstring injury in his last outing. He’s played in just five of Denver’s last 13 contests. While he did log 32 minutes and score 15 points in a vital win over Memphis on Friday, Nuggets interim coach David Adelman won’t hesitate to protect his star point guard should Denver pull away. Murray’s points prop is at 18.5 Over/Under — a number he would have little trouble topping at full strength in a regular game setting, but the Nuggets don’t need Murray on the floor to pick up this win. They do, however, need him healthy for the playoffs.