NBA: Sacramento Kings VS Houston Rockets Pick and Predictions 02/08/2023

Game: 8:10 PM ET,  Wednesday, February 8th, 2023

Venue:  Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

TV:  NBA League Pass

Kings: 30-23, 3rd place Western Conference

Rockets: 13-41, 15th place Western Conference

BetMGM:  Point Spread: Kings -9.5, O/U 239.5

PointsBet: Point Spread: Kings -8.5, O/U 239

Fanduel: Point Spread: Kings -9, O/U 239.5

Kings: PG De’Aaron Fox, SG Kevin Huerter, SF Harrison Barnes, PF Keegan Murray, C Domantas Sabonis

Rockets: PG Ty Ty Washington Jr, SG Jalen Green, SF Eric Gordon, PF Jabari Smith JR, C Alperen Sengun

A Western Conference matchup DO- OVER. That’s right.  These two teams played each other yesterday.  It is the oddest scheduling mishap in basketball in back to back games between the same two teams.  The 3rd place Sacramento Kings got an easy win yesterday… and since they are a good team playing the worst team in basketball they expect an easy win today.  The Houston Rockets took yet another loss… really the only type of games they know how to play consistently…. Yesterday.  There were absolutely no surprises.  A good team p[lays an awful team… the good team wins and covers the spread.  The great Betting Opportunity here is in whether or not history will repeat itself instantly… I think it will… so do you.  Vegas added 2.5 points to an already big spread… let’s check the numbers and see.

The Sacramento Kings have won 5 of their last 10 games in a tough stretch for a good 3rd place Western Conference team.  They won their last game against THESE Houston Rockets 140-120.  A blow-out (as predicted here with the instruction: Blow Out Alert)... In the win Rookie Power Forward Keegan Murray dropped 30 points while shooting 8 of 12 3-pointers. Six Kings scored in double figures like Sabonis who got 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists… That is right… the center got 10 assists!  Or maybe you liked the game of bench guard Malik Monk who scored 20 points in 22 minutes… or maybe the starting guards (Fox and Huerter) who had 16 points each before taking an early seat!  It was an easy night.

The Houston Rockets have won 3 of their last 10 games which the front office clearly believes is 3 wins too many.  They are tanking and they are dreaming of a tall, french. teenage savior to come play Center next season.  The kids they have do not yet know how to play NBA basketball or team basketball… and they certainly can not overcome all the roadblocks that have been put in front of them… Like 6’4 Eric Gordon playing defense on 6’9 forwards who simply shoot over him.  In their 140-120 loss to the same Kings team they have to now play again?... They got 27 points from SG Jalen Green… Jalen had a so-so shooting night but kept shooting and shooting.  Every player Houston put on the floor for any amount of time… Came away with a negative +/- score.  This is a bad team… and they will not even try to get better until they know where they will be drafting in the coming draft. 

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The Kings are 1st in scoring with 119.3 points per game, 24th in rebounds with 41.9 per game.  On defense they are 21st in defense of scoring with 116.6 points per game.  They are an offensive juggernaut and real postseason success will arrive the moment they get a few ticks better at defense.  

The Rockets are 29th in scoring with 110.1 points per game, 4th in rebounds with 46.7 per game. On defense they are 25th while allowing a whopping 118 points per game from opponents.  This will not change anytime soon.  They do not have some secret stash of vets that can come on to teach them how to play team defense… or offense for that matter.

Our prediction for Wednesday, February 8th is…. Kings 141 - Rockets 119

Bet on the Kings.  Rarely will anyone recommend that you bet on a -9.5 point favorite in NBA basketball.  The ball can bounce every which way and even bad teams can take a contender to the final buzzer.  Not in this case.  Last night the Kings were taking it easy by halftime while the Rockets were playing their little teenage hearts out.  Bet on the Kings and don’t look back.

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The Kings are 3-1 ATS versus Houston at Houston the last 3 seasons. (and last night).

The Kings are 7-2 ATS versus Houston overall the last 3 seasons.

4 of 5 games in this matchup in Houston have gone OVER the last 3 seasons.

Kings: PF Keegan Murray.  Game after game Keegan looks more at home and capable in the starting unit for a third place in the West NBA franchise.  His shooting is a plus, but his all around game while knowing he is still very green is impressive.  Keep watching Keegan… he will only get better and he is starting as very good.

Rockets: SG Jalen Green.  Jalen is a good kid by all accounts.  He is athletically gifted.  He is full of energy that only is supplied to young people with bigger dreams.  But he is also all flash and no substance.  At this point in year two of the Jalen Green experiment it would be nice to see him take the right shot and not just any shot… and you would like him to figure out where he should be on defense. He was the 2nd overall pick in the ENTIRE draft in 2021… It’s time for him to start improving on the little things. Especially since if the Rockets could get a do-over… They would now take Scottie Barnes OR Josh Giddey OR Franz Wagner OR simply traded out of the pick altogether.

Kings: Mike “Let’s do this!” Brown

Rockets: Stephen “Babysiter’s Club” Silas