In a matchup of two of the NBA’s four worst teams by record, Houston (11-18) visits Cleveland (11-21) on Wednesday night. The Rockets enter on an eight-game losing streak, which is their longest as a franchise in over 20 years, while the Cavaliers have lost 10 of their last 11. However, they did snap a 10-game skid on Tuesday night versus Atlanta.
A night later, Houston hopes this is its turn to end a similar drought.
The Rockets will remain short-handed, with star center Christian Wood (right ankle sprain) still out. The Rockets are now 0-8 since Wood’s latest injury, immediately after going 7-1 in the previous eight games.
Victor Oladipo (right foot strain) and Eric Gordon (right heel soreness) are each questionable, while recent starting center DeMarcus Cousins was released on Tuesday. That means the Rockets could be without as many as four of their top six rotation players from recent weeks.
The lines, courtesy of BetMGM
- Point spread: Rockets -2.5 (-115), Cavaliers +2.5 (-105)
- Moneyline: Rockets -145/Cavaliers +120
- Over-under: 217.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
- Player O/U Scoring Props: TBD
Place your legal, online sports bets in CO, IN, MI, NV, NJ, PA, TN, and WV at BetMGM.
Wednesday’s starters for the Cavaliers are expected to be Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Cedi Osman, Isaac Okoro, and Jarrett Allen. Meanwhile, Stephen Silas appears likely to counter with John Wall, Eric Gordon, Jae’Sean Tate, Danuel House Jr., and PJ Tucker and for the Rockets. If Oladipo plays, he would likely bump Gordon to a sixth-man role. If neither plays, David Nwaba or Sterling Brown would start.
Advice and prediction
Fortunately for Houston, Cleveland will be even more undermanned. The Cavs are on the second night of a back-to-back after narrowly defeating Atlanta on Tuesday, and they have a long injury list with Andre Drummond (personal reasons), Kevin Love (right calf strain), Larry Nance Jr. (left hand fracture), and Matthew Dellavedova (concussion) all out. Meanwhile, Taurean Prince missed Tuesday’s game with a sore left ankle.
Against two talented young guards in Sexton and Garland, the Rockets will need Wall and Gordon (if he plays) to be more efficient than they were in Monday’s blowout loss to Chicago. In that one, each veteran guard shot below 30% from the field. Without Cousins, Houston could also ask recent signing Justin Patton to play more minutes in the middle.
The Cavaliers had some bounces finally go their way on Tuesday night, so perhaps the Rockets are due, as well.
Prediction: 111-108, Rockets
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