Houston Rockets vs Sacramento Kings Betting Pick & Prediction 1/16/25
At 10:00 ET, the 9th ranked Kings will host the 2nd ranked Rockets in a Western Conference matchup. Sacramento is favored by 3.5 points and the over/under line is set at 226.5.
Currently, the Rockets are on a 5 game win streak and have a record of 27-12. On the other side, the Kings are 20-20 and are 3rd in the Pacific Division.
HOUSTON ROCKETS VS SACRAMENTO KINGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Sacramento Kings -3.5
This game will be played at Golden 1 Center at 10:00 ET on Thursday, January 16th.
WHY BET THE SACRAMENTO KINGS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 137-104 in favor of the Kings.
- Our projections have De’Aaron Fox finishing with 26 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.
- From the field, we have the Kings finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.4% and knocking down 15 threes.
Can Houston Deliver Being Underdogs on the Road?
The Rockets improved to 27-12 this season with a 128-108 win over the Nuggets on Wednesday. Houston, favored by 5.5 points, covered the spread with the 20-point victory. The game’s total score of 236 points went over the line of 224.5 by 11.5 points.
Houston took control in the 2nd quarter, outscoring Denver 41-25. They entered the 4th quarter with a 102-81 lead, and while Denver edged them 27-26 in the final period, the Rockets had already done enough to secure the win.
Jalen Green’s 34-point performance, shooting 62.5% from the field and hitting 6 threes at a 60% rate, led the Rockets to a 128-108 win over the Nuggets. Alperen Sengün added 20 points, while Fred VanVleet contributed 16 points and 8 assists, connecting on 4 threes at 44.4%.
As a team, the Rockets shot 52.1% from the field and made 17 threes, hitting 44.7% from beyond the arc. Green scored 15 points in the 2nd quarter and 13 more in the 3rd, while Sengün added 10 points in the 3rd period.
Even with a shaky defensive performance, the Rockets managed to hold the Nuggets to 108 points in their win. Houston gave up 33 points in the 3rd quarter but limited Denver to 23 points in the 1st and 25 in the 2nd.
Despite allowing the Nuggets to shoot 53% from the field and 48% from three, the Rockets sent Denver to the line 21 times, where they made 14 free throws. Houston also recorded 14 steals and 6 blocks.
Will the Kings Find a Way to Win at Home?
The Kings fell to 20-20 on the season after a 130-115 road loss to the Bucks on Tuesday. Sacramento entered the game as +2 point underdogs but couldn’t cover the spread, losing by 15. The total points for the game reached 245, surpassing the O/U line of 227.5 by 17.5 points.
Milwaukee’s 14-0 run early in the game put Sacramento in a deep hole, as the Bucks extended their lead from 26-17 to 40-17. The Kings managed to keep the 2nd and 3rd quarters close, but they entered the 4th quarter down 102-82. Sacramento outscored Milwaukee 33-28 in the final period but couldn’t close the gap.
DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 28 points and 6 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field and hitting 2 threes at 50% efficiency in their 130-115 loss to the Bucks. De’Aaron Fox contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds, despite shooting just 39.1% and making 2 threes at 25%.
Keon Ellis connected on 5 threes at 62.5%, finishing with 18 points, including 9 in the 4th quarter. The Kings made 17 threes as a team, shooting 40.5% from beyond the arc and 44.2% overall.
The Kings’ defense struggled in the 1st quarter, giving up 47 points, but they tightened up afterward, allowing 28 points in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters. Overall, Sacramento allowed Milwaukee to shoot 49% from the field.
From beyond the arc, the Bucks hit 17 threes at a 37% clip. The Kings sent Milwaukee to the line 18 times, where they made 15 free throws. Sacramento grabbed 36 defensive rebounds while allowing 11 offensive boards, and they finished with 4 steals and 5 blocks.