Rockets vs. Nets is a battle of winless teams. Who would’ve thought that?
It’s still early, but the Rockets are 0-2 after losses to the Thunder and Pistons. The Nets are 0-3, which seems to be just the beginning of a long tanking season.
Houston is a 15.5-point favorite and -1350 on the moneyline, while Brooklyn is +800 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set to 224.5 points. Below, I’ll break down this matchup with a preview, prediction and best bet.
Nets vs. Rockets preview, prediction
This should be ugly. While both teams are winless, the Rockets are much better than the Nets. Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson create a dangerous trio that will threaten many Western Conference teams this year.
There aren’t many positives for the Nets, especially since they’re on the road. Houston will stomp this matchup and earn the team’s first of many victories this season.
One key statistic to keep an eye on is the free throw shooting. The Rockets have made and attempted the most free throws per game in the NBA, while also limiting opponents to the third fewest made and eighth fewest attempted per game.
Good teams generally draw fouls at a high rate, and bad teams typically have trouble not fouling. That could be the recipe tonight in what should be a blowout. Free throws add up quick, and could make this game get out of reach earlier than expected if Brooklyn fouls often.
The Nets foul opponents a ton, allowing the 25th most free throws made and 28th most attempted per game through three games.
Nets. vs. Rockets pick, best bet
The Rockets have no excuse tonight. The team is healthy and at home, and the Nets are tanking. The spread is a bit intimidating at 15.5 points, but it’s fair and doable for Houston.
As mentioned before, the free throw disparity through the first few games indicates a potential blowout. The Nets foul often, and the Rockets get to the line a lot. It’s a small sample size, but this is generally how good teams operate against bad teams.