Houston Rockets vs Milwaukee Bucks Betting Pick & Prediction 11/18/24

At 8:00 ET, the Milwaukee Bucks (-172) will host the Houston Rockets (+145) in a non-conference matchup. The Bucks (-4) are favored over the Rockets, and the over/under line is 221.

Currently, the Rockets are on a five-game win streak and sit in 3rd place in the Western Conference. On the other hand, the Bucks are 12th in the Eastern Conference and have a record of 4-9.

HOUSTON ROCKETS VS MILWAUKEE BUCKS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Houston Rockets +4

This game will be played at Fiserv Forum at 8:00 ET on Monday, November 18th.

WHY BET THE HOUSTON ROCKETS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 144-125 in favor of the Rockets.
• Our projections have Jalen Green finishing with Jalen Green points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
• From the field, we have the Rockets finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.6% and knocking down 15 threes.

Will the Rockets Make it Happen on the Road?

The Rockets improved to 10-4 on the season with a dominant 143-107 win over the Bulls on Sunday. Houston, favored by 4.5 points, covered the spread with ease, winning by 36 points. The game’s total points of 250 exceeded the O/U line of 233.5 by 16.5 points.

Houston took control with a 17-0 run, turning a 64-52 deficit into a 69-64 lead. They then outscored Chicago 41-26 in the 2nd quarter and 40-26 in the 3rd, entering the 4th with a 108-78 lead before finishing strong with a 35-29 advantage in the final period.

Fred VanVleet’s 28 points and 7 assists led the Rockets to a 143-point explosion against the Bulls, shooting 62.5% from the field and 50% from deep. Alperen Şengün added a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds, hitting 60% of his shots, while Jalen Green contributed 18 points, shooting 66.7%.

Houston shot 52.4% overall, but struggled from beyond the arc, making just 10 threes at a 29.4% clip. VanVleet scored 13 points in the 2nd quarter, and added 10 more in the 3rd, while Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard each scored 7 points in the 4th.

The Rockets’ defense was consistent in their win over the Bulls, allowing 26 points in each of the first three quarters and 29 in the 4th. Overall, they gave up 107 points while holding Chicago to 33% shooting from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Rockets limited the Bulls to 14 made threes on 25% shooting. Houston also recorded 8 steals and 9 blocks in the game.

Can Milwaukee Deliver Being Favored at Home?

The Bucks’ season continued its rocky start with a 115-114 loss to the Hornets on Saturday, dropping Milwaukee to 4-9. Favored by 3.5 points on the road, the Bucks not only lost straight up but also failed to cover the spread.

Milwaukee led 90-86 going into the 4th quarter but were outscored 29-24 in the final period. The game’s total of 229 points exceeded the O/U line of 219.5 by 9.5 points.

Taurean Prince led the Bucks with 23 points and 4 threes at 80% shooting from deep in their 115-114 loss to the Hornets. He shot 64.3% overall and scored 11 points in the 1st quarter. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists, while Bobby Portis contributed 21 points, with 8 coming in the 3rd quarter.

Milwaukee shot 51.1% from the field and hit 15 threes at a 41.7% clip. Andre Jackson chipped in 14 points, scoring 6 in the 4th quarter.

Defensively, the Bucks gave up 115 points to the Hornets, who shot 44% from the field. Milwaukee allowed 33 points in the 1st quarter but tightened up in the 2nd, giving up just 26 points. They allowed 27 points in the 3rd and 29 in the 4th.

From beyond the arc, the Bucks held the Hornets to 35% shooting, with Charlotte hitting 15 threes. The Hornets also went 18/21 from the free-throw line. Milwaukee finished with 32 defensive rebounds, 6 steals, and 6 blocks.