Houston Rockets vs Washington Wizards Betting Pick & Prediction 1/7/25

At 7:00 ET, the Houston Rockets (-613) will travel to Washington to take on the Wizards (+446). The Rockets are favored by 11.5 points and the over/under line is set at 225.5.

This non-conference matchup will be played at Capital One Arena and can be seen on SCHN.

HOUSTON ROCKETS VS WASHINGTON WIZARDS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Washington Wizards +11.5

This game will be played at Capital One Arena at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, January 7th.

WHY BET THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 125-120 in favor of the Wizards.
• Our projections have Jordan Poole finishing with 19 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists.
• From the field, we have the Wizards finishing with a field goal percentage of 44.3% and knocking down 14 threes.

Do the Rockets Have What it Takes in Washington?

The Rockets improved to 23-12 on the season with a 119-115 win over the Lakers on Sunday. Houston was favored by 4.5 points but didn’t cover the spread, while the combined score of 234 points went over the 217.5-point line.

Houston jumped out to a big lead early, going on an 11-0 run to extend the score from 33-22 to 44-22. The Lakers fought back, outscoring the Rockets 40-24 in the 3rd quarter, but Houston held on by edging the Lakers 28-26 in the final period.

Jalen Green’s 33-point performance, including 18 in the 1st quarter, led the Rockets to a 119-115 win over the Lakers. He hit 5 threes at 41.7% and shot 50% from the field overall. Amen Thompson contributed 23 points and 16 rebounds, shooting 57.9% from the floor.

The Rockets made 14 threes, shooting 35% from deep and 47.5% overall. Fred VanVleet added 15 points, with 6 coming in the 4th quarter. He also hit 3 threes, shooting 37.5% from beyond the arc.

Despite a rough 3rd quarter where they allowed 40 points, the Rockets’ defense held the Lakers to 115 points in a win. Houston gave up 22 points in the 1st quarter and 27 in the 2nd, but they tightened up in the 4th, allowing just 26 points.

Houston struggled with fouls, sending the Lakers to the line 28 times, where they made 23 free throws. The Rockets also allowed 16 threes on 44% shooting. Defensively, they recorded 31 rebounds, gave up 10 offensive boards, and finished with 3 steals and 4 blocks.

Will the Wizards Win at Home?

The Wizards fell to 6-27 on the season after a 110-98 home loss to the Pelicans on Sunday. Washington, who entered the game as +6 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 208, well below the O/U line of 231.5.

New Orleans took control early with a 17-0 run, stretching the score from 22-21 to 39-21. Washington was outscored 33-22 in the 1st quarter and 27-23 in the 2nd. They edged the Pelicans 25-24 in the 3rd and 28-26 in the 4th but couldn’t overcome the 84-70 deficit heading into the final quarter.

In their 110-98 loss to the Pelicans, the Wizards struggled offensively, shooting just 42.7% from the field and 26.8% from three-point range, making 11 threes. Kyle Kuzma led the way with 28 points, hitting 40% from deep, while Alexandre Sarr added 18 points and 11 rebounds, connecting on 3 threes at 50% efficiency.

Jared Butler contributed 17 points, and Carlton Carrington scored 11 of his 16 points in the 3rd quarter. Kuzma was consistent throughout, scoring 9 points in the 2nd quarter and 7 more in the 4th.

The Wizards gave up 110 points to the Pelicans on Sunday, with their worst defensive quarter coming in the 1st, where they allowed 33 points. They tightened up in the 3rd, giving up just 24 points, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win.

Washington held New Orleans to 41% shooting but allowed 18 threes on 36% shooting from deep. The Pelicans also went 18/20 from the free-throw line. The Wizards finished with 37 defensive rebounds, gave up 11 offensive boards, and recorded 6 steals and 4 blocks.