Denver Nuggets vs. Houston Rockets Preview
Where: Toyota Center – Houston, Texas
When: Wednesday, April 5, 2017, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Denver Nuggets (+8) at Houston Rockets (-8); total: 240.5 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ALT, C+ D
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Betting on the Denver Nuggets (36-40)
The Denver Nuggets are still alive in the race for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. The Nuggets have now won back-to-back games after they edged out the New Orleans Pelicans in a 134-131 shootout last night.
Those wins, coupled with back-to-back Portland Trail Blazers losses, have now whittled the Blazers’ lead to just half a game. A Nuggets win against the Rockets will put them in a tie with the Blazers at 38-40.
Danilo Gallinari starred once again for the Nuggets as he scored a game-high 28 points (9-15 FG, 5-10 3-PT FG) against the Pelicans. Gallo has gone for back-to-back games of at least 28 points in his first two games in April, while shooting 59 percent from the field. Gary Harris was also outstanding with 23 points (10-12 FG), eight rebounds and five assists, and Nikola Jokic added 21-12-4.
The Nuggets were without guards Jameer Nelson and Will Barton, but the Denver reserves stepped up in their absence. Wilson Chandler, Mason Plumlee, and Emmanuel Mudiay combined for 46 points off the bench.
Denver is still winless in three meetings against Houston this season, but the Nuggets did give the Rockets a good fight in each of their last two games. They lost those games by a total of just five points. The Nuggets have also been pretty feisty on the road lately. They’re 6-3 (7-2 ATS) in their last nine road games.
Betting on the Houston Rockets (52-25)
The Houston Rockets are pretty banged up heading into the playoffs. Ryan Anderson is out with a sprained ankle; Sam Dekker is set to miss at least three weeks with a broken hand; and more importantly, James Harden is nursing a sore wrist.
Harden missed his first game of the season due to illness in their most recent game against the Phoenix Suns. But even without their MVP candidate, the Rockets still came out 123-116 winners, and snapped a three-game losing skid. Four Rockets players scored 20 or more points: guards Patrick Beverley, Eric Gordon, and Lou Williams, as well as Troy Williams, who was playing his first game for the team.
Harden and Trevor Ariza, who also missed the Suns game due to a death in the family, could find their way back in the starting lineup against the Nuggets. Harden has been in a major shooting slump recently in part because of his wrist, but tonight’s game against the Nuggets could help him get back on track. He’s averaging 33 points, 8 boards, and 10 assists in his first three meetings against Denver this season.
The Rockets are 5-1 (3-3 ATS) in their last six home games against the Nuggets.
Writer’s Prediction
The Nuggets (+8) are the more motivated team of the two, and they get the win in a 124-120 shootout.
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