Ever since J.B. Bickerstaff took over head-coaching duties, the Houston Rockets have gone 2-3 under his helm and almost lost to the lowly Sixers last Friday. Now, the Rockets will continue to rely on his guidance when they open up a brief two-game road trip versus the New York Knicks tonight.
This also means it’ll be James Harden going mano-a-mano with Carmelo Anthony at one of the world’s most famous arena. Let’s get it on. Read on below for a complete analysis of this promising matchup.
For more NBA action, check out our preview of the T-Wolves at Clippers.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Houston Rockets vs. New York Knicks Betting Preview
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York
When: Sunday, November 29, 2015, 07:30 PM ET
Line: Houston Rockets (-1.5) vs. New York Knicks (+1.5); total: 199.5 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: MSG
Betting on the Houston Rockets (6-10)
The Houston Rockets were saved from an embarrassing defeat to the still-winless Sixers on Friday thanks to a 50-point eruption from their superstar guard in James Harden. That win also snapped their three-game losing skid and improved their record to 6-10. Up next on their schedule is an impending date with the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
[sc:NBA240banner ]The Rockets faced the Knicks just last week and apparently lost that one at home, 107-102. In that game they allowed rookie Kristaps Porzingis to deliver the best game of his career with 24 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks while Harden’s 24-point effort was put to waste. They’ll hope for a better result this time around.
Harden, the NBA’s second-leading scorer (30.1 PPG), will have to work harder for his points later opposite a Knicks defense that’s only surrendering 97.8 PPG. The Rockets will really need someone else to help carry the offensive load and that person could very well be Dwight Howard or Trevor Ariza, who are averaging 13.2 PPG and 12.0 PPG respectively this season.
Meanwhile, Clint Capela, will also try build on his performance on Friday, wherein he got his first start and played pretty well alongside Howard with 13 points and 10 rebounds under his belt.
But the biggest problem that the Rockets need to solve is at the opposite side of the court. They’re currently allowing a staggering 107.2 PPG, good for the third-highest in the league today. The onus will be on the entire roster to provide a solid defensive effort especially against a Knicks team that’s spearheaded by a premiere scorer in Carmelo Anthony.
Houston is 2-3 SU and ATS on the road this year.
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Betting on the New York Knicks (8-9)
After beating the Rockets last week, the New York Knicks lost their next three games since then and have fallen to an 8-9 win-loss record. They’ll have another chance to stop the bleeding when they collide with Houston for the second time this season.
In their last game on Friday, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis only had 11 points apiece in a lopsided 97-78 defeat to the Heat. The two were the only starters that scored in double figures while backup center Kevin Seraphin came off the bench with 10 points.
Fortunately, the Knicks could relocate their offensive rhythm later against one of the worst defensive teams in the league: the Rockets. That said, the responsibility falls on their top two scoring threats in Anthony (22.1 PPG) and Porzingis (13.1 PPG) to bounce back and guide them towards their ninth win.
Then there’s also Arron Afflalo, who the Knicks acquired in the off-season, as another reliable offensive option. Afflalo missed his club’s first seven games but immediately made his presence felt by compiling 11.2 PPG since making his season debut.
As for the defense, they’ll need to prevent the likes of James Harden from finding his groove all game long. Harden is fresh off a 50-point performance and is averaging 23.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 4.8 APG throughout 12 career games versus the Knicks. If they fail to do so, they are in deep trouble.
New York is only 1-9 SU and 3-7 ATS in its previous 10 meetings with Houston.
Writer’s Prediction
Houston (-1.5) wins a nail-biter, 99-97. Create a betting account now and put your NBA predictions to the test!
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