USA Today Sports Russell Westbrook and James Harden celebrate the Houston Rockets' record-setting victory.
The Nets and Rockets are mirror images of each other. Both teams like to score and both have struggled on defense, which should make for an entertaining affair on Friday night in Brooklyn.
Houston (3-1) is looking for its fourth straight win after putting up eye-popping numbers in their last game, a 159-158 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night. James Harden went off for 59 points, shooting 18-for-32 from the floor and 17-for-18 from the free-throw line. The Rockets scored 83 points in the second half. Harden currently leads the NBA in scoring, averaging 36.8 points per game.
Brooklyn (1-3) has also had no issues filling up the box score this season and is ranked third in the NBA with 120.0 points per game. Only Houston (128.0) and the New Orleans Pelicans (121.2) have scored more. Kyrie Irving has been a revelation on offense. The free-agent guard is second in the NBA in scoring with 35.3 points per game.
Here’s a gambling breakdown for the Friday night matchup between the Rockets and Nets.
Game Details: Rockets at Nets
Date: Friday, November 1
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, New York)
TV: ESPN
Spread: Rockets -4.5
Total: 243.5
*All odds are courtesy of Covers
Betting Trends
- Rockets are 0-4 ATS this season
- Nets are 0-4 ATS this season
- Over is 3-1 in Rockets games this season
- Over is 3-1 in Nets games this season
- Nets are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games against Western Conference opponents
- Over is 6-1 in last 7 Rockets games against a team with a losing record
- Rockets are 18-39-1 ATS in their last 58 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game
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Prediction & Picks
This might be one of the biggest totals we see in an NBA game all season. The number is even more inflated considering what we saw from the Rockets’ offense (and defense) in their last game on Wednesday night. Neither team has figured out how to defend this season, which leads me to believe points will be scored in bunches on Friday night.
PICK: Over 243.5 (-110)
Joe Harris could be a problem for Houston’s defense. The sharpshooter is 13-for-25 from three-point range this season and the Rockets allowed 20 three-pointers in their high-scoring win over Washington earlier this week. You’re getting some great value on the Harris three-pointers made prop with plus-juice on the over. He has at least three triples in every game this season. Bombs away!
PICK: Joe Harris over 2.5 three-pointers made (+145)
It’s rare that both teams enter a game this far into the season winless against the spread, but that is the case with Brooklyn and Houston, who are both 0-4 against the number. That oddity also makes this a very tricky game to handicap. The last time these two teams met, Brooklyn was able to snap a five-game losing streak in the series with a 145-142 overtime triumph in Houston back on January 16. It feels like we are trending towards a similar game. Give me Brooklyn plus the points in what should be another entertaining affair.
PICK: Nets +4.5 (-110)
READ NEXT: Kyrie Irving Makes Kevin Durant’s List of Top-5 Favorite NBA Players to Watch
Follow Jared Smith on Twitter: @jaredleesmith