Miami Heat vs Houston Rockets Betting Pick & Prediction 12/29/24

This non-conference matchup between the Heat and Rockets tips off at 7:00 ET at the Toyota Center in Houston. The Rockets (-328) are favored by 8 over the Heat (+263) and the over/under line is set at 216.5.

Miami is 15-14 on the year and currently sits 7th in the Eastern Conference. Houston, meanwhile, is 21-10 and 3rd in the West.

MIAMI HEAT VS HOUSTON ROCKETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Houston Rockets -8

This game will be played at Toyota Center at 7:00 ET on Sunday, December 29th.

WHY BET THE HOUSTON ROCKETS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 134-119 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 Heat Find a Way to Win in Houston?

The Heat fell to 15-14 on the season after a 120-110 road loss to the Hawks on Saturday. Miami entered the game as +1 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total score of 230 points narrowly exceeded the pre-game line of 227.5.

Miami trailed 35-28 after the 1st quarter but outscored Atlanta 30-26 in the 2nd. However, the Hawks pulled away by winning the 3rd quarter 32-26, and Miami couldn’t close the gap in the 4th, where they were outscored 27-26.

In their 120-110 loss to the Hawks, the Heat shot 44.4% from the field and 31.7% from three-point range, making 13 threes. Tyler Herro led Miami with 28 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds, hitting 4 threes at a 57.1% clip.

Bam Adebayo added 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Duncan Robinson contributed 16 points, 11 of which came in the 2nd quarter. Herro scored 11 points in the 3rd quarter, and both he and Robinson hit 4 threes in the game.

Defensively, the Heat struggled against the Hawks, giving up 120 points on 51% shooting. Atlanta scored 35 points in the 1st quarter and added 32 in the 3rd. Miami allowed 15 threes, with the Hawks shooting 40% from beyond the arc.

Miami sent Atlanta to the line 22 times, where they made 17 free throws. The Heat gave up 9 offensive rebounds while recording 9 steals and 4 blocks.

Can the Rockets Pull Off a Home Win?

The Rockets fell to 21-10 on the season after a narrow 113-112 home loss to the Timberwolves on Friday. Houston, who were favored by 1 point, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 225, surpassing the pre-game O/U line of 215.5 by 9.5 points.

Houston looked to be in control after a strong 3rd quarter, where they outscored Minnesota 32-19, and extended their lead with a 10-0 run. However, the Timberwolves stormed back in the 4th quarter, outscoring the Rockets 37-28 to steal the win.

Alperen Sengün’s 38-point, 12-rebound performance on 64% shooting wasn’t enough for the Rockets in their 113-112 loss to the Timberwolves. Amen Thompson added 20 points and 11 rebounds, hitting 75% from the field, while Fred VanVleet contributed 18 points, knocking down 5 threes at a 50% rate despite shooting just 37.5% overall.

Houston shot 48.9% from the field and made 10 threes at 33.3% efficiency. Sengün scored 12 points in the 2nd quarter and added 8 more in both the 1st and 4th quarters.

Defensively, the Rockets had strong performances in the 1st and 3rd quarters, allowing just 22 and 19 points, respectively. However, they struggled in the 2nd and 4th quarters, giving up 35 and 37 points, which contributed to their 113-112 loss to the Timberwolves.

Houston allowed Minnesota to shoot 50% from the field, including 48% from beyond the arc, where the Timberwolves hit 21 threes. The Rockets sent Minnesota to the free-throw line 16 times, where they made 8. Houston finished with 32 defensive rebounds, allowing 9 offensive boards, and recorded 7 steals and 3 blocks.