Dallas Mavericks vs Houston Rockets Betting Pick & Prediction 1/1/25

At 8:00 ET, the Houston Rockets (-209) will host the Dallas Mavericks (+176) in a Western Southwest Division matchup. The Rockets are favored by 5.5 points, and the over/under line is set at 222.

Both teams enter the game on two-game losing streaks. The Mavericks are 20-13 and currently sit 4th in the Western Conference, while the Rockets are 21-11 and 3rd in the West.

DALLAS MAVERICKS VS HOUSTON ROCKETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Houston Rockets -5.5

This game will be played at Toyota Center at 8:00 ET on Wednesday, January 1st.

WHY BET THE HOUSTON ROCKETS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 121-102 in favor of the Rockets.
• Our projections have Jalen Green finishing with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
• From the field, we have the Rockets finishing with a field goal percentage of 45.0% and knocking down 13 threes.

Can the Mavericks Offense Score Enough in Houston?

The Mavericks dropped to 20-13 on the season after a 110-100 road loss to the Kings on Monday. Dallas, who entered the game as +8.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The combined score of 210 points fell short of the 223.5-point O/U line.

Dallas started strong, leading 37-23 after the 1st quarter, but a 12-0 run by the Kings shifted the momentum. Sacramento outscored the Mavericks 33-23 in the 2nd quarter and 27-17 in the 3rd. Dallas entered the 4th quarter down 83-77 and couldn’t mount a comeback, as the Kings closed out the game by winning the final quarter 27-23.

In their 110-100 loss to the Kings, the Mavericks shot just 42.1% from the field and made 12 threes at a 38.7% clip. Spencer Dinwiddie led the way with 30 points, hitting 3 threes at 50% efficiency, while P.J. Washington added 28 points, connecting on 4 threes at 44.4%.

Dinwiddie contributed 11 points in the 1st quarter and 8 more in the 4th. Washington had a big opening period, scoring 19 of his 28 points in the 1st quarter.

Defensively, the Mavericks held the Kings to 110 points on 42% shooting, including just 10 threes at a 31% clip. Dallas gave up 23 points in the 1st quarter but allowed 33 in the 2nd. They allowed 27 points in both the 3rd and 4th quarters.

The Mavericks sent the Kings to the line 19 times, where they hit 16 free throws. Dallas finished with 34 defensive rebounds but allowed 18 offensive boards. They also recorded 8 steals and 13 blocks.

Are the Rockets Ready for a Home Win?

The Rockets fell to 21-11 on the season after a 104-100 loss to the Heat on Sunday. Houston, favored by 8.5 points, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total of 204 points came in under the O/U line of 215.

Miami’s 12-0 run early in the game set the tone, but Houston battled back to take an 82-81 lead into the 4th quarter. However, the Heat outscored the Rockets 23-18 in the final period to seal the win.

The Rockets shot just 39.2% from the field in their 100-point effort against the Heat, with their three-point shooting at 32.5%, hitting 13 threes. Dillon Brooks led Houston with 22 points, connecting on 5 threes at 41.7% efficiency.

Jalen Green added 19 points, 14 of which came in the 3rd quarter. Alperen Şengün contributed 18 points and 18 rebounds, shooting 57.1% from the field, while Fred VanVleet scored 8 of his 16 points in the 4th quarter.

The Rockets’ defense tightened up after a tough 1st quarter, where they allowed 31 points. They gave up 22 points in the 2nd quarter, 28 in the 3rd, and 23 in the 4th, finishing the game with 104 points allowed on 44% shooting from the field.

Houston did a solid job defending the three, holding the Heat to 10 made threes on 30% shooting. They sent Miami to the line 28 times, where they made 20 free throws. The Rockets collected 33 defensive rebounds while allowing 15 offensive boards and added 5 steals and 4 blocks.