Can Struggling Heat Upset the Rockets in the NBA Betting Lines?

Can Struggling Heat Upset the Rockets in the NBA Betting Lines?

Written by on February 7, 2018

The NBA betting lines favorite Houston Rockets are on fire and have some legitimate Championship hopes. The Miami Heat are ice-cold and are really just hoping to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. With these two teams clearly heading in polar opposite directions at the moment, let’s find out if the Heat can cover the NBA spread against home against the explosive, high-scoring Rockets.

Can Struggling Heat Upset the Rockets at the NBA Betting Lines?

  • When: Wednesday, February 7, 2018, 7:30 PM ET
  • Where: American Airlines Arena
  • TV: SUN
  • Radio: 610 AM (Houston) / 790 AM (Miami)
  • Live Stream: NBA League Pass
  • NBA Betting Lines: Houston Rockets -4.5 (Over/Under at 211.5 points)

Team Records

  • All: Houston Rockets 39-13 / Miami Heat 29-25
  • Home: Houston Rockets 20-6 / Miami Heat 13-11
  • Away: Houston Rockets 19-7 / Miami Heat 16-14
  • ATS: Houston Rockets 25-26-1 / Miami Heat 25-26-3
  • Over/Under: Houston Rockets 23-28-1 / Miami Heat 21-32-1

NBA 2017-18 CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS TO WIN

Recent Head to Head (Last 10 Games)

  • Record: Tied 5-5
  • Score: Houston Rockets 105.60 / Miami Heat 102.70
  • Field Goal Percentage: Houston Rockets 47.47 / Miami Heat 46.77
  • Rebounds: Houston Rockets 40.80 / Miami Heat 40.00
  • 3 Point Shots: Houston Rockets 86-250 / Miami Heat 119-325
  • Steals: Houston Rockets 7.90 / Miami Heat 8.40

Why Consider the Houston Rockets?

Why should you consider betting on the Rockets in this Wednesday night matchup? Because they have too much firepower for Miami to keep up with. Houston is in the midst of a five-game winning streak and comes into this contest off a convincing 123-113 win over Brooklyn on Tuesday night as James Harden scored a game-high 36 points and Chris Paul added 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Center Clint Capela added 18 points and 11 rebounds and Gerald Green chipped in 16 points while shooting 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. “It’s all coaching out there. You saw that, right?” Houston’s Mike D’Antoni said. “Chris Paul, James, you got those two guys, it’s one or the other. It’s unbelievable.” “In the first half, they were making shots. Second half, especially at the end of the third quarter, we had to lock down, get stops and push the lead ahead,” Harden said. The Rockets are ranked second in scoring (114.1 ppg and 16th in points allowed (105.9 ppg). Harden is averaging a stupendous 31.2 points and 9.1 assists per game while Chris Paul is averaging 19.2 points and 8.5 assists. Harden also passed 15,000 career points in the win.

Team Statistics

Offense
  • Total Score: 114.13
  • Field Goal Percentage: 46.20
  • Three-Point Percentage: 36.49
  • Free Throw Percentage: 78.88
  • Total Rebounds: 43.75
Defense
  • Total Score: 105.94
  • Field Goal Percentage: 46.87
  • Three-Point Percentage: 37.05
  • Free Throw Percentage: 75.19
  • Total Rebounds: 41.13

Why Consider the Miami Heat?

Why consider betting on Miami in this contest? Because they’re playing at home, have a great defense and are totally desperate. The Heat have lost four straight and come into this contest off a heartbreaking 111-109 loss to Orlando on Monday despite getting a team-high 20 points from Josh Richardson, 19 points and 14 rebounds from Hassan Whiteside and 18 points and 10 rebounds from Bam Adebayo. “We can’t change our offense and be too drastic,” Richardson said. “We just have to approach like any other day and be ready to work and fix what we do wrong.” Miami comes in as the underdog at the NBA Betting Lines against Houston. “It’s hard to explain what happened in that third quarter,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “The first quarter and obviously the fourth quarter you love the way your team is competing and just laying it all out there to the end. I just don’t have an explanation for the third quarter — very uninspiring.” Miami is ranked an uninspiring 28th in scoring (100.4 ppg), but a stellar third in points allowed (101.3 ppg).

Team Statistics

Offense
  • Total Score: 100.44
  • Field Goal Percentage: 45.32
  • Three-Point Percentage: 35.55
  • Free Throw Percentage: 75.07
  • Total Rebounds: 42.59
Defense
  • Total Score: 101.28
  • Field Goal Percentage: 45.17
  • Three-Point Percentage: 35.72
  • Free Throw Percentage: 78.65
  • Total Rebounds: 42.00

Latest NBA Betting Trends

  • Rockets are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games
  • Rockets are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
  • The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Houston’s last 12 games
  • Heat are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games at home
  • Heat are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games
  • The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Miami’s last 8 games

Expert Final Analysis and Prediction

The Miami Heat may be playing at home in this contest and they may be getting almost five points, but neither of those facts will help them keep pace with – or cover the spread against – the explosive Houston Rockets, who have gone 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games while Miami has gone 6-20-3 ATS in their last 29 home games. The Heat have been playing mediocre basketball and really don’t stand a chance against likely league MVP James Harden and still stupendous point guard Chris Paul, just as the NBA betting lines suggest.