Rockets vs. Nuggets Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Wednesday, Jan. 15

Betting odds, pick and prediction for the Houston Rockets-Denver Nuggets matchup on Wednesday night.
Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green is an elite prop target on Wednesday.
Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green is an elite prop target on Wednesday. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Jalen Green and the Houston Rockets have won four games in a row to move into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, knocking off the Memphis Grizzlies in a comeback win on Monday.

Now, they’ll hit the road to play the Denver Nuggets, who are fresh off of back-to-back wins over the Dallas Mavericks. This is the second game of a back-to-back for Denver where it is an NBA-best 7-1 against the spread so far this season. 

This is the first meeting between these teams this season, and oddsmakers have set it as a near pick’em with Denver holding a slight edge as a one-point home favorite. 

It’ll be worth monitoring Denver’s injury report on Wednesday, especially since forward Aaron Gordon just returned from a calf injury.

Here’s a full breakdown of the odds, players to bet in the prop market, and my prediction on Wednesday night. 

Rockets vs. Nuggets Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

  • Rockets +1 (-115)
  • Nuggets -1 (-105)

Moneyline

  • Rockets: -105
  • Nuggets: -115

Total

  • 232 (Over -110/Under -110)

Rockets vs. Nuggets How to Watch

  • Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15 
  • Time: 9:00 p.m. EST
  • Venue: Ball Arena
  • How to Watch (TV): Space City Network, Altitude
  • Rockets record: 26-12
  • Nuggets record: 24-15

Rockets vs. Nuggets Injury Reports

Rockets Injury Report

  • N’Faly Dante – out
  • Jack McVeight – out
  • Jock Landale – out
  • Tari Eason – doubtful
  • Jabari Smith Jr. – out

Nuggets Injury Report

  • Not submitted yet

Rockets vs. Nuggets Best NBA Prop Bets

Houston Rockets Best NBA Prop Bet

  • Jalen Green OVER 23.5 Points (-125)

Every season, Jalen Green has stretches – not always long ones – where he flashes the talent that makes him a potential All-Star one day. Right now, he’s in one of those stretches.

Over his last six games (since Jan. 1), Green is averaging 30.0 points per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 45.6 percent from 3. He had a similar run in March last season, and I’m going to attempt to ride the hot hand while it’s still there.

Green has 27 or more points in each of his last five games. 

Denver Nuggets Best NBA Prop Bet

  • Jamal Murray UNDER 2.5 3-Pointers Made (-180)

Jamal Murray knocked down five of his nine shots from deep on Tuesday night, but I’m not going to overreact to that showing ahead of Wednesday’s contest.

Houston ranks No. 3 in the NBA in opponent 3-pointers made per game and Murray simply isn’t taking a ton of 3s as of late, attempting just over five per game over his last 15 contests. In that stretch, the Nuggets guard has just six games with three or more made shots from deep.

Fade him against an elite defense tonight. 

Rockets vs. Nuggets Prediction and Pick

Both of these teams have won four games in a row, and it’s hard not to look at Denver’s dominance at home as a major reason why it remains a contender in the Western Conference.  

The Nuggets are 12-7 straight up at Ball Arena this season, going 9-9-1 against the spread. Denver’s record on the second night of a back-to-back is impressive, and it’s partially because of the durability of superstar Nikola Jokic.

However, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon were both on the injury report on Tuesday (they both played) so bettors may want to wait for the final designations for those players before placing a wager in this matchup.

Houston – the No. 3 defense in the NBA this season – has a ton of young talent that has played extremely hard under head coach Ime Udoka. Unlike most young teams, Houston has been great on the road this season, going 12-6 straight up and 11-7 against the spread. One of those losses on the road was technically a neutral-site matchup in the NBA Cup. 

Denver’s offense (No. 4 in the NBA) has been able to carry it so far this season, but will that hold up against an elite defense?

I’m not totally sold, especially with the Rockets coming into this game with a rest advantage. I’ll back the NBA’s No. 3 defense to pull off a slight upset tonight. 

Pick: Rockets Moneyline (-105)


Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.


Published
Peter Dewey
PETER DEWEY

Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.