Houston Rockets vs Charlotte Hornets Betting Pick & Prediction 12/23/24

At 7:00 ET, the Charlotte Hornets will host the Houston Rockets in a non-conference matchup. The Rockets are favored by 6 points and have a record of 19-9, good for 3rd in the Western Conference. They have won 2 straight games and are 2nd in the Southwest Division. On the other side, the Hornets are 7-21 and have lost 4 in a row. They are 13th in the Eastern Conference and 4th in the Southeast Division.

This game will be played at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte and can be seen on SCHN. The over/under line for this game is 218.5 points.

HOUSTON ROCKETS VS CHARLOTTE HORNETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Houston Rockets -6

This game will be played at Spectrum Center at 7:00 ET on Monday, December 23rd.

WHY BET THE HOUSTON ROCKETS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 134-116 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 45.9% and knocking down 14 threes.

Will the Rockets Win on the Road?

With a 114-110 win over the Raptors on Sunday, the Rockets improved to 19-9 this season. Houston, favored by nine points, didn’t cover the spread, but the game’s total of 224 points narrowly exceeded the 222.5-point O/U line.

Toronto jumped out to a 25-13 lead with a 10-0 run, but Houston chipped away, winning each of the final three quarters. They took an 84-83 lead into the 4th and outscored the Raptors 30-27 in the final period to seal the win.

Dillon Brooks led the Rockets to a win over the Raptors, scoring 27 points with 13 of those coming in the 3rd quarter. Jalen Green added 22 points, contributing 9 in the opening period.

Alperen Sengun finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, scoring 8 in the 3rd quarter. Houston struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 25% of their threes, making 7 in total.

Despite a rough start, giving up 35 points in the 1st quarter, the Rockets tightened up defensively, allowing just 22 points in the 2nd quarter. They continued their solid effort in the 3rd and 4th, giving up 26 and 27 points, respectively, to hold the Raptors to 110 points on 45% shooting.

Houston struggled to defend the three-point line, with Toronto hitting 17 threes at a 39% clip. However, the Rockets limited the Raptors to just 13 free-throw attempts, of which they made 9. Defensively, the Rockets recorded 12 steals and 6 blocks.

Are the Hornets Ready for a Home Win?

Charlotte’s season record dropped to 7-21 after a 108-98 road loss to the 76ers on Friday. The Hornets entered the game as +13 point underdogs and managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 206, falling short of the 213.5 O/U line.

Philadelphia jumped out to a 41-23 lead after the 1st quarter, but Charlotte responded by winning the 2nd quarter 23-17. The 76ers went on a 10-0 run, extending their lead from 55-46 to 65-46. Charlotte fought back, winning the 4th quarter 27-23, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

Vasilije Micic led the Hornets with 20 points and 4 assists in their 98-78 loss to the 76ers, shooting 50% from the field and hitting 3 threes at 37.5%. Miles Bridges added 15 points, despite shooting just 30.8%, and DaQuan Jeffries contributed 12 points on 55.6% shooting, making 2 threes at 50%.

As a team, the Hornets made 10 threes, shooting 32.3% from beyond the arc, and finished with a field goal percentage of 46.2%. Micic scored 10 points in the 3rd quarter and added 7 more in the 4th, while Bridges scored 12 of his 15 points in the final period.

Despite giving up 41 points in the 1st quarter, the Hornets tightened up defensively in the 2nd, allowing just 17 points. They gave up 27 points in the 3rd and 23 in the 4th, finishing with 108 points allowed in their loss to the 76ers.

Charlotte allowed Philadelphia to shoot 49% from the field, including 36% from three-point range, where the 76ers made 12 threes. The Hornets sent the 76ers to the line 18 times, where they hit 14 free throws. Defensively, the Hornets recorded 7 steals and 4 blocks.