The Houston Rockets (12-9) travel to face off against the Memphis Grizzlies (6-17) on Friday, December 15th. This game will be played at FedExForum. The Rockets are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Grizzlies are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Grizzlies. Tip-off is set for 8:00 ET.

Rockets vs Grizzlies

The Rockets Are Coming Off A Win

In their last game, the Rockets defeated the Grizzlies with a final score of 117-104. The Rockets were leading the game going into the second half 57-43.

With an overall record of 12-9, the Rockets are looking to build on their four game winning streak. In the Western Conference, the team is in 8th place and is 2nd in the Southwest division.

Against the spread, the Rockets have covered in four straight games and have an overall ATS record of 15-5. The Rockets are in the midst of a two game ATS win streak as underdogs, and they come in with a 5-0 record against the spread as favorites.

The Grizzlies Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Grizzlies will look to bounce back from a defeat in their last game, losing to the Rockets with a final score of 117-104. the Grizzlies not only lost the game outright but also fell short of covering the spread as +10 point underdogs. The over/under line for this matchup was set at 209.5 points, and the teams managed to exceed that total.

Coming into today’s game against the Rockets, the Grizzlies have a 6-17 overall record and are looking to snap a three game losing skid. On the road, the Grizzlies are 5-7 this season compared to their 1-10 mark at home.

Memphis has an overall ATS record of 9-14 for the season so far. Memphis has failed to cover the spread in two straight home games and are 3-8 ATS at home compared to 6-6 on the road.

Rockets Offense Breakdown

This season, the Houston offense is ranked 26th in the NBA in scoring at 109.8 points per game. Coming into today’s game, the Rockets will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 12.5 made 3’s per game. If the Houston offense is going to improve, they must continue to do a good job avoiding turnovers. Currently, the unit is 11th in fewest turnovers per game.

Grizzlies Offense Breakdown

Memphis has recorded an average of 106.4 points per game (30th) throughout 23 games games. So far, the Grizzlies are averaging 98.9 possessions per game, which places them below the NBA average. A key aspect of the team’s offensive struggles is the fact that they not only play at a slow pace, but they struggle to score inside. Heading into today’s game, Memphis is just 29th in shots made inside the arc.

Rockets Team Defense

So far, the Rockets defense is giving up 105.5 points per contest, which has them sitting 1st in the NBA. One thing to note, is they have given up more points than their season average in two straight matchups.

When it comes to forced turnovers, the Rockets are forcing 12.9 per game, which is 11th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 26th in blocked shots at 4.1 per game.

Grizzlies Team Defense

Coming into the game, the Grizzlies defense has held opposing team’s to fewer points than the league average in 43.5% of their games. Currently, they are 10th in the NBA at 112.7 points per game allowed.

Memphis’ defense is currently forcing 13.4 turnovers per game, which is 17th in the league. Additionally, they enter the game ranked 2nd in blocked shots, with an average of 6.3 rejections per game.

Key Players For The Rockets And Grizzlies

Our projections for today’s game indicate that Alperen Sengün will be the primary scorer for the Rockets, with 16 points and going 6/12 from the field. For the season, he has been averaging 20 points per game, in addition to 9.1 rebounds.

On the flip side, our predictions place Desmond Bane as the leading scorer for the Grizzlies. We expect him to conclude the game with a team-high 17 while also collecting 3 rebounds. For the season, he has a field goal percentage of 46.9% and is averaging 24.8 points per contest.

Rockets vs Grizzlies Trends

• In their last five games away from home, the Rockets have a straight up record of 1-4 while going 2-2-1 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 113 points per game in these contests.
• In their last three home games, Memphis has averaged 109 points per game while allowing 111. The team’s record in this stretch was 1-2 while going 2-1.
• Going back to their last three games as the underdog, the Grizzlies have a straight up record of 0-3. But, their mark vs the spread was just 0-3.
• Houston has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 5-0 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five games.

 

Rockets vs Grizzlies Prediction

 

We’re calling a win for the Rockets, with a final score of 107-102, and we’re taking them to cover the spread. Our recommendation is to bet on the Rockets at -4.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 212 and our model has the Rockets and Grizzlies finishing with a combined 209 points. Our pick is to take the under.

---

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

---

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.