At 8:00 ET, the Phoenix Suns (-161) will take on the Houston Rockets (+135) in a Western Conference matchup. The Suns are favored by 3.5 points, and the over/under line is set at 230.

Phoenix is currently 7th in the Western Conference with a record of 33-23, while Houston is 12th in the West at 24-31. The Rockets are also on a two-game losing streak.

PHOENIX SUNS VS HOUSTON ROCKETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Houston Rockets +3.5

This game will be played at Toyota Center at 8:00 ET on Friday, February 23rd.

WHY BET THE HOUSTON ROCKETS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 125-124 in favor of the Rockets.
  • Our projections have Alperen Sengün finishing with Alperen Sengün points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.
  • From the field, we have the Rockets finishing with a field goal percentage of 45.5% and knocking down 14 threes.

Does Phoenix Stand a Chance on the Road?

The Suns are favored by 3.5 points today against the Rockets. This season, they have been favored in 42 of their 56 games and have a record of 28-14 as the favorite. As the favorite, they have gone 17-24 against the spread, with an average scoring margin of +5.5 points per game.

Phoenix’s O/U record for the season is 27-29, and their last two games have gone under the betting line. On average, their games have finished with 232 points, which is slightly higher than today’s line of 230.

In their most recent game, the Suns lost to the Mavericks by a score of 123-113. The O/U line for that game was 244.5, and Phoenix was a 2.5-point underdog going into the game.

Against Western Conference teams, the Suns are 19-16 this season, which has them in 7th place in the West. Overall, they are 33-23 and are 2nd in the Pacific Division.

Phoenix’s ATS record on the road this season is 12-15, and they are 15-12 straight-up on the road. Currently, they are 8th in the West. In non-conference games, the Suns are 14-7.

When it comes to pace, the Suns are in the middle of the pack, ranking 15th in the league at 98.5 possessions per game. In terms of scoring, they are 12th in the NBA at 117.5 points per game. However, they have actually been better on the road, averaging 117.4 compared to 117.6 at home.

So far this season, the Suns have outscored the NBA scoring average in 55.4% of their games. In terms of field goal percentage, Phoenix is one of the top teams in the league, shooting 49% overall (3rd). When it comes to three-point shooting, they are 7th in percentage but just 26th in attempts.

Overall, the Suns are 15th in assists at 26.7 per game. In terms of free throws, they are 3rd in makes at 20.3 per game but just 5th in attempts. In terms of offensive rebounds, they are 24th in the league.

This season, the Suns’ defense is the 15th ranked defense in the NBA at 15th PPG. So far, they have held opposing offenses below the NBA scoring average in 62.5% of their games. When it comes to forced turnovers, the Suns are forcing 14.1 per game, which is 27th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 5th in blocked shots at 6 per game.

Does Houston Have What it Takes at Home?

Houston has lost two straight games and is currently 12th in the Western Conference with a record of 24-31. In the Southwest Division, they are in 3rd place.

The Rockets have an ATS record of 28-26 for the season, including going 19-9 ATS at home. This year, they are 9-17 ATS on the road.

As the underdog, Houston has gone 10-26 straight-up and 16-19 against the spread. Today, they are getting 3.5 points and have gone 5 straight games without covering the spread as the underdog.

This season, the Rockets have an O/U record of 26-29, and their games have averaged 226.2 points per game. In their last two games, the final score has gone over the posted O/U lines.

In their last game, the Rockets lost to the Pelicans by a score of 127-105. The O/U line for that game was 227 points, and Houston was a 6.5-point underdog going into the game.

At home, the Rockets are averaging 115.2 points per game, which is 17th in the NBA. Overall, they are 21st in scoring at 113.2 points per game.

In terms of pace, Houston is 13th in the league at 99.3 possessions per game. When it comes to field goal percentage, the Rockets are 25th in the NBA at 46%.

From beyond the arc, Houston is 21st in three-point shooting at 35%. In terms of free throw attempts, they are 9th in the league at 23.7 per game.

For the season, Houston is sitting 10th in terms of points allowed per game (113.0). It is worth noting they have given up a fewer number of points in three straight games. Inside the arc, the Rockets defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 54.2% and 34.5% from three-point territory.