The Houston Rockets (9-9) travel to face off against the Denver Nuggets (14-8) on Friday, December 8th. This game will be played at Ball Arena in Ball Arena and televised on ALT. The Rockets are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Nuggets are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Thunder. Tip-off is set for 9:00 ET.

Rockets vs Nuggets

The Rockets Are Coming Off A Win

The Rockets’ most recent matchup against the Thunder saw Dillon Brooks lead the Rockets with 23 points while shooting 9/17 from the field. Aaron Holiday also contributed 22 points as the Rockets won by a score of 110-101 vs. the Thunder.

With a win in their next game versus the Nuggets, the Rockets can go above .500 as they are 9-9 overall. In the Western Conference, the Rockets are in 10th place and 3rd in the Southwest Division.

Houston has an overall ATS record of 12-5 for the season so far. In their last nine home games, Houston has successfully covered the spread, and they maintain an ATS record of 9-1 at home compared to 3-4 on the road.

The Nuggets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Jamal Murray scored 23 for Denver against the Clippers which was the most on the team. His field goal percentage for the game was 41.8%. Nikola Jokic contributed 22 points, but Denver lost the game 111-102.

With today’s game vs. the Rockets on tap, the Nuggets come in with a 14-8 overall record and are above .500. In terms of conference play, the Nuggets are 12-6 and are 2-2 in non-conference games.

So far, Denver is below .500 in their ATS record, currently standing at 8-13. When playing on the road, the Nuggets hold an ATS record of 3-10 in contrast to a 5-3 record against the spread when playing at home.

Rockets Offense Breakdown

This season, the Houston offense is ranked 26th in the NBA in scoring at 110.1 points per game. So far, the Rockets are averaging 96.8 possessions per game, which places them below the NBA average. Their slower style of play has created fewer offensive opportunities, leading to them being ranked 21st in fields goals made per contest.

Nuggets Offense Breakdown

Through 22 games the Nuggets are averaging 114 points per contest, placing them 14th in the NBA. When looking at the team’s pace of play, the Nuggets are currently below the league average in possessions per game, averaging just 96.9 per contest. Although the team tends to play at a more deliberate pace, they are currently one of the more efficient shooting teams, connecting on field goal attempts at a rate of 3rd%.

Rockets Team Defense

Houston’s defense has been playing well, ranking 2nd in the NBA with 106.9 points allowed per game.

When it comes to forced turnovers, the Rockets are forcing 12.6 per game, which is 8th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 26th in blocked shots at 4.4 per game.

Nuggets Team Defense

This season, the Nuggets defense has been impressive, holding the 6th position in the league while permitting an average of 110.5 points per contest.

Inside the arc, the Nuggets defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 52.3% and 36.5% from three-point territory.

Key Players For The Rockets And Nuggets

The outlook for today’s matchup points to Alperen Sengün as the primary point contributor for the Rockets, finishing with 18 points while maintaining a 7/13 shooting accuracy. Throughout this season, his average stands at 21 points per game, along with 9 rebounds.

On the flip side, our predictions place Nikola Jokic as the leading scorer for the Nuggets. We expect him to conclude the game with a team-high 18 while also collecting 8 rebounds. For the season, he has a field goal percentage of 54.6% and is averaging 28.6 points per contest.

Rockets vs Nuggets Trends

• Through their last ten road games, Houston has an ATS record of just 4-5-1. However, their overall record was 2-8 while averaging 109 points per game.
• In their last five games at home, the Nuggets have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 107 points per game in this stretch.
• In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Rockets have a straight up record of 4-6 and an ATS mark of 7-2-1.
• Through their last five matchups as the betting favorite, the Nuggets have a good straight up record, but their ATS mark is just 2-2-1.

Rockets vs Nuggets Prediction

For a point-spread bet in this Nuggets vs. Nuggets matchup, we’re leaning towards the Rockets at +8.5. Although our projections show the Nuggets winning 108-107, we suggest placing your bet on the Rockets for the point-spread.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 219 and our model has the Rockets and Nuggets finishing with a combined 215 points. Our pick is to take the under.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.