Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon Sport
Houston Rockets vs Sacramento Kings: Both teams are chasing the playoffs
The Houston Rockets are visiting the Sacramento Kings on Sunday at Golden 1 Center.
The Rockets are facing a big challenge
The Houston Rockets are 11th in the Western Conference with a 28-35 record, which puts them five games behind the Golden State Warriors, who hold the last spot that leads to the Play-In Tournament. The Rockets have won three of their last four games and are coming off a 123-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Houston is sixth in the league, allowing 46% shooting from the field, and ranks 11th, allowing 112.8 points per game. Alperen Sengun leads the team averaging 21.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
The Kings are holding on in the top 6 in the West
The Sacramento Kings are sixth in the Western Conference with a 36-26 record. They have won three of the last four games and are coming off a 131-129 win over the San Antonio Spurs. The Kings are eighth in the league, scoring 118.5 points per game, and are ranked sixth with 28.8 assists per game. De’Aaron Fox leads the team with 27.2 points per game, while Domantas Sabonis averages 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game.
Betting Trends
The Kings are 4-1 ATS in the last five games against the Rockets. They are 2-4 ATS in the last 6 games overall, and 5-2 ATS in the last 7 games played on Sunday. The Rockets are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall and 5-1 ATS in the last 6 games against teams from the Western Conference.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both teams are targeting the playoffs; the Kings are in the top six, while the Rockets will need to be on top of their game in order to keep their chances alive for the Play-In Tournament. Both teams are finishing a solid week and are confident going into this one. It will be interesting to see the matchup between two European power forwards Sabonis and Sengun, as both can record a triple-double on any given night. The Rockets are a solid defensive forwards, but that will not be good enough to hold back the Kings. Sacramento is very good at home, and their fast pace will take them to a victory by covering the -6.5-point spread.
