Rockets vs. Thunder NBA expert prediction and odds for Wednesday, March 27 (Streak ends here)
By Peter Dewey
One of the most intriguing matchups in the NBA on Wednesday night takes place in Oklahoma City with the Houston Rockets battling the Oklahoma City Thunder with massive playoff implications on the line.
OKC is fighting for the No. 1 seed in the West after winning against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, the Rockets are in a dead heat for the No. 10 seed with the Golden State Warriors, sitting one game back entering tonight’s contest.
Houston has struggled on the road all season, and it’s no surprise that the team is an underdog against one of the best teams (OKC is No. 2 in net rating ) in the NBA.
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Let’s break down the odds and my best bet for Wednesday night’s matchup:
Rockets vs. Thunder odds, spread and total
Rockets vs. Thunder how to watch
- Date: Wednesday, March 27
- Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
- Venue: Paycom Center
- How to watch (TV): AT&T Sportsnet Southwest, Bally Sports Oklahoma
- Rockets record: 36-35
- Thunder record: 50-21
Rockets vs. Thunder injury reports
Rockets injury report
- Steven Adams – out
- Tari Eason – out
- Nate Hinton – out
- Jermaine Samuels Jr. – out
- Alperen Sengun – out
- Cam Whitmore – out
Thunder injury report
- Not submitted yet
Rockets vs. Thunder key players to watch
Houston Rockets
Jalen Green: The former lottery pick is on fire since Alperen Sengun went down, and it’s starting to look like he can finally be a leading option on a winning team. Green is averaging 33.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game over his last six contests, shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 47.0 percent from 3. He could have a big game tonight if OKC isn’t careful.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Chet Holmgren: I love this matchup for Rookie of the Year candidate Chet Holmgren, as the Rockets have been playing small-ball with Sengun out. This season, Holmgren is averaging 17.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, and he put up 18 and 29 points in his last two games against the Rockets (both Thunder wins).
Rockets vs. Thunder prediction and pick
Even though this is the second night of a back-to-back for OKC, I don’t mind taking a shot on the Thunder to cover the spread in this matchup.
OKC is 7-4 ATS in this spot this season, and the team is also elite as a home favorite, going 19-11 against the spread.
Houston, on the other hand, has struggled on the road (10-16-1 ATS as a road underdog) winning just 10 games there all season.
The Rockets have won nine games in a row, but I think the streak ends here. Without Sengun, Houston doesn’t have much size down low, which should make for easy lanes to the rim for both Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Plus, Houston’s defensive rating drops from No. 4 in the league at home to No. 15 in the league on the road.
Don’t sleep on this Thunder team, which still has a chance to earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
Pick: Thunder -6.5 (-110)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.