by Chuck Sommers
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2023
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Where to watch: ATTSN-SW, NBCSWA
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Wizards -3
FanDuel: Wizards -3
BetMGM: Wizards -3.5
Caesars: NL
Season record
Wizards: 21-26
Rockets: 11-36
The second half of the basketball season is upon us, and what a cluster we've got in the standings right now, right? So many teams are in the playoff hunt, so many teams not expected to make the playoffs are in the process of trying to prove people wrong. You know who doesn't need to be made wrong? Our champion handicappers who have been killing it all year long. Scott Rickenbach is coming off a 5-2-0 week over the last seven days, while Doc's Sports has been efficient at 14-8-0 over the last 30 days. Do you want to get on this winning? Make sure you're following our champion handicappers at bigal.com to celebrate in these moments!
Wizards - Rockets preview, prediction and analysis
Recent form
Wizards: won 127-126 at Mavs
Rockets: won 119-114 vs. Timberwolves
The Washington Wizards will be playing the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, January 25 in Houston, Texas.
The Washington Wizards won against the Orlando Magic last Saturday, January 21 in Washington with a score of 138-118. The Washington Wizards currently rank 3rd in the Southeast Division. Rui Hachimura equaled a career high with 30 points and Kyle Kuzma added 25 for the Washington Wizards. Bradley Beal scored 17 points in his second game back from a hamstring injury, although Kristaps Porzingis left the game in the third quarter with a left ankle sprain.
“He'll be evaluated tomorrow. We'll see where it is,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “I don't think it's too bad, but fingers crossed.”
Porzingis scored 17 points.
Washington has won seven straight against the Magic. The Wizards never trailed in this one. A dunk by Daniel Gafford capped a 10-0 run that gave Washington a 37-23 advantage near the end of the first quarter.
Hachimura went to work in the second, scoring 10 points in a span of under 2 1/2 minutes. His second of two quick 3-pointers gave Washington a 52-32 lead.
“He was terrific. I loved his aggression off the bench," Unseld said. “I think once he sees one or two go in, it kind of gets him going.”
Unseld took Hachimura out with 2:14 remaining, needing one more point for a new career high.
“I just was worried," Unseld said. "Last thing we need is for someone else to go down.”
The Wizards won their second straight game with Beal back — and he had eight assists on the night — but now they have another injury to deal with. Porzingis hobbled down the tunnel after hurting his ankle and didn't return.
The Washington Wizards have won five of their last 10 games.
The Houston Rockets won against the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday, January 23 in Houston, Texas with a score of 119-114. The Houston Rockets currently rank 5th in the Southwest Division. Jalen Green scored a career-high 42 points and the Houston Rockets held on for a 119-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night to snap a 13-game losing streak.
Green, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, had 21 points by halftime and kept up his strong play in the second half to lead the Rockets to their first victory since Dec. 26 at Chicago. They ended their longest skid of the season and also a 10-game home losing streak, winning at home for the first time since Dec. 13 against Phoenix.
Green bounced back after shooting just 3 of 13 with 10 points in a loss to the Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Coach Stephen Silas could see the drive in Green to perform better from the start Monday night.
“He was ready for tonight,” Silas said. “It was time for us to buckle down and have a focused game for 48 minutes and he was the leader of that tonight.”
Green said he was “a little bit in my head” after his bad game Saturday but was determined to turn things around. He was thrilled that his big game helped Houston end its skid.
“It feels good,” he said. “My guys relied on me, coaches relied on me. We needed that. We were desperate for it. We came out and executed.”
The Houston Rockets have won one of their last 10 games as of Tuesday, January 24.
Prediction
Going to take a stab here. Wizards, off a tough win, will have a letdown with travel against a Houston team that is riding high after their franchise had a career game. Rockets 120, Wizards 117
The Washington Wizards will be playing the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, January 25 in Houston, Texas.
The Washington Wizards won against the Orlando Magic last Saturday, January 21 in Washington with a score of 138-118. The Washington Wizards currently rank 3rd in the Southeast Division. Rui Hachimura equaled a career high with 30 points and Kyle Kuzma added 25 for the Washington Wizards. Bradley Beal scored 17 points in his second game back from a hamstring injury, although Kristaps Porzingis left the game in the third quarter with a left ankle sprain.
“He'll be evaluated tomorrow. We'll see where it is,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “I don't think it's too bad, but fingers crossed.”
Porzingis scored 17 points.
Washington has won seven straight against the Magic. The Wizards never trailed in this one. A dunk by Daniel Gafford capped a 10-0 run that gave Washington a 37-23 advantage near the end of the first quarter.
Hachimura went to work in the second, scoring 10 points in a span of under 2 1/2 minutes. His second of two quick 3-pointers gave Washington a 52-32 lead.
“He was terrific. I loved his aggression off the bench," Unseld said. “I think once he sees one or two go in, it kind of gets him going.”
Unseld took Hachimura out with 2:14 remaining, needing one more point for a new career high.
“I just was worried," Unseld said. "Last thing we need is for someone else to go down.”
The Wizards won their second straight game with Beal back — and he had eight assists on the night — but now they have another injury to deal with. Porzingis hobbled down the tunnel after hurting his ankle and didn't return.
The Washington Wizards have won five of their last 10 games.
The Houston Rockets won against the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday, January 23 in Houston, Texas with a score of 119-114. The Houston Rockets currently rank 5th in the Southwest Division. Jalen Green scored a career-high 42 points and the Houston Rockets held on for a 119-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night to snap a 13-game losing streak.
Green, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, had 21 points by halftime and kept up his strong play in the second half to lead the Rockets to their first victory since Dec. 26 at Chicago. They ended their longest skid of the season and also a 10-game home losing streak, winning at home for the first time since Dec. 13 against Phoenix.
Green bounced back after shooting just 3 of 13 with 10 points in a loss to the Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Coach Stephen Silas could see the drive in Green to perform better from the start Monday night.
“He was ready for tonight,” Silas said. “It was time for us to buckle down and have a focused game for 48 minutes and he was the leader of that tonight.”
Green said he was “a little bit in my head” after his bad game Saturday but was determined to turn things around. He was thrilled that his big game helped Houston end its skid.
“It feels good,” he said. “My guys relied on me, coaches relied on me. We needed that. We were desperate for it. We came out and executed.”
The Houston Rockets have won one of their last 10 games as of Tuesday, January 24.
Prediction
Going to take a stab here. Wizards, off a tough win, will have a letdown with travel against a Houston team that is riding high after their franchise had a career game. Rockets 120, Wizards 117
Betting trends
Wizards are 0-5 ATS in the last five meetings in Houston.
Rockets are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games.
Over is 13-5 for the Rockets in their last 18 games against a team with a losing road record.
Wizards are 0-5 ATS in the last five meetings in Houston.
Rockets are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games.
Over is 13-5 for the Rockets in their last 18 games against a team with a losing road record.
Projected starting lineup
Wizards:
PG: Monte Morris
SG: Bradley Beal
SF: Kyle Kuzma
PF: Anthony Gill
C: Daniel Gafford
Rockets:
PG: Jae'Sean Tate
SG: Jalen Green
SF: Eric Gordon
PF: Jabari Smith Jr.
C: Alperen Sengun
Injury report
Statistical leaders
Wizards:
Points: Bradley Beal -- 22.5
Rebounds: Kristaps Porzingis -- 8.8
Assists: Monte Morris -- 5.4
Rockets:
Points: Jalen Green -- 21.7
Rebounds: Alperen Sengun -- 9.0
Assists: Kevin Porter Jr. -- 5.6
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
