NBA Basketball
2019-02-06 - Houston Rockets at Sacramento Kings
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States: NBA Basketball
Wednesday 6th February 2019 - Tip Off 10pm
British Time: 3am
Preview
One of the more surprising teams in the NBA this season have to be the Sacramento Kings (28-25) who are still very much in the hunt for a Play Off place in the Western Conference. At the start of the season not many would have picked the Kings to still be in the mix when it came to the days before the All-Star Break, but they have proven they can hang tough with some of the best teams in the NBA and will be looking to knock another one off on Wednesday.
Wins over the Philadelphia 76ers and the San Antonio Spurs at home will have given Sacramento real belief that they have not lucked into this position and now they host the Houston Rockets (31-22). This is yet another team currently in the Play Off places that the Kings have to deal with, but playing at home has been a huge boost for Sacramento.
The Kings have won seven in a row at home which is their best run since the 2005/06 season and the feeling is that their form here over the next two months will determine whether they make the Play Offs or not. They are facing a Houston Rockets team who have won two in a row as they conclude a four game road trip and containing James Harden looks to be beyond any team at the moment.
For the twentieth time this season Harden has scored at least 40 points in a single game and it is clear that he is carrying the Rockets during a period when some of the key supporting cast are banged up or removing match rustiness from their play. Kenneth Faried has recently signed with the Rockets and giving Harden some support, but most Coaches know that stopping the All-Star is going to be key to any success you have against Houston.
In recent games the Kings have played some pretty good three point Defense and that is going to be very important for them in this one. Stopping Harden completely is nigh on impossible, but Sacramento can play well enough to at least give his team-mates a hard time and that could be important for them.
Scoring points is not beyond the Kings as they have shown in recent games and a young group will not be intimidated by any team they play. Sacramento also could have a real advantage when it comes to collecting the boards and that should be important in determining the outcome of this game.
The Kings have been very strong when either favoured or set as the underdog of less than three points this season as they are 13-3 against the spread in that spot. They are also 4-1 against the spread in the last five games hosting the Houston Rockets.
Houston have some poor numbers against the spread on the road in recent games and I am not sure they should be favoured to win in this Arena.
Prediction
Take the points with the home underdog.
The Pick :
Sacramento Kings 113-110 Houston Rockets
