The Houston Rockets (13-9) travel to face off against the Milwaukee Bucks (18-7) on Sunday, December 17th. This game will be played at Fiserv Forum. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 7:00 ET.

Rockets vs Bucks

The Rockets Are Coming Off A Win

In the game against the Grizzlies, Dillon Brooks was the top scorer for Houston, recording 26 points. His field goal percentage for the game was 36.4%. The Rockets picked up a 103-96 win, and Fred VanVleet also added 16 points which was 2nd on the team.

With a 13-9 overall record, the Rockets are 7th in the Western Conference and sit in 2nd place in the Southwest division. Heading into today’s game, the Rockets have won five straight games.

The Rockets have covered the spread successfully in their previous five games and maintain an overall ATS record of 16-5. The Rockets are in the midst of a two game ATS win streak as underdogs, and they come in with a 6-0 record against the spread as favorites.

The Bucks Are Coming Off A Win

The Bucks picked up a win over the Pistons in their latest game, finishing with a score of 146-114. In addition to their straight-up win, the Bucks also covered the spread as -16.5-point favorites. The over/under line for this matchup was set at 241.5 points, and the teams managed to exceed that total.

Coming into today’s game, the Bucks have a 18-7 overall record, and they’re on a three game winning streak. When it comes to Eastern Conference games, the Bucks are 16-7, and they’re 2-0 in non-conference games.

Milwaukee arrives with an ATS record of 11-14 for the season up to this point. In their last two home games, Milwaukee has successfully covered the spread, and they maintain an ATS record of 6-9 at home compared to 5-5 on the road.

Rockets Offense Breakdown

Houston has recorded an average of 109.5 points per game (27th) throughout 22 games games. Coming into today’s game, the Rockets will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 12.4 made 3’s per game. If Houston continues to struggle with their outside shot, they may look to start playing with more pace, as they are currently 26th in the league in possessions per game.

Bucks Offense Breakdown

Leading up to today’s matchup, the Bucks are one of the NBA’s top offenses, averaging 124.2 points per game (2nd). In terms of pace, the Bucks are one of the top units in the NBA, averaging 102 possessions per game. Not only is the team playing at an up-tempo pace, but they have been able to pair this style with one of the better field goal percentages in the NBA at 50%.

Rockets Team Defense

In the current season, the Rockets defense has excelled, sitting 1st in the NBA by allowing 105.1 points per game.

When it comes to forced turnovers, the Rockets are forcing 12.8 per game, which is 11th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 26th in blocked shots at 4.4 per game.

Bucks Team Defense

Currently, the Bucks’ defense holds the 23rd rank in the NBA, allowing 119.2 points per game.

When it comes to defending inside the arc, the Bucks squad is permitting opposing teams to shoot at a clip of 53.6% inside the arc, and they’re also giving up 34.9% from downtown.

Key Players For The Rockets And Bucks

Our projections for today’s game indicate that Alperen Sengün will be the primary scorer for the Rockets, with 15 points and going 6/11 from the field. Throughout this season, his average stands at 19.7 points per game, along with 9 rebounds.

On the opposing side, we anticipate Giannis Antetokounmpo to be the top scorer for the Bucks. Our projection has him finishing the game with 26, and he is expected to secure 10 rebounds. For the season, he has a field goal percentage of 62.6% and is averaging 31.6 points per contest.

Rockets vs Bucks Trends

• In their last five games away from home, the Rockets have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-2-1 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 110 points per game in these contests.
• Milwaukee has a 1-2 record in their last three home games. In this stretch, they averaged 120 points per game while allowing 121. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
• As the betting underdog, the Rockets have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 2-1.
• The Bucks have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 4-1 straight up and 3-2 against the spread.

 

Rockets vs Bucks Prediction

 

In this Bucks vs. Bucks matchup, our point-spread bet is on the Rockets at +7. While we project the Bucks to win 109-106, our recommendation is to bet on the Rockets for the point-spread.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 230.5, and our model projects the Rockets and Bucks to reach a combined total of 215 points. Our bet is on taking the under.

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

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* 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.