The Houston Rockets will face the New York Knicks for the first time this season on Wednesday, January 17. The Rockets lost both games to New York in head-to-head matches during the 2022–23 campaign. However, they have improved significantly since their last meeting and will be looking for a comeback. The Knicks, who are in the second game of a four-game homestand, will be tough to beat at home. They have an 11-5 record at Madison Garden and are 6-2 in their last eight games. However, the Knicks could be in trouble if Jalen Brunson, who is questionable with a calf injury. The Rockets are in 11th place in the Western Conference with a 19-20 record. They will need to overcome a two-game losing streak to keep up with the Lakers and Utah Jazz.
Preview
The Rockets are currently a much better team than the one the Knicks defeated twice last season. Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith Jr. have made them a very competitive team. New York is 6-2 since acquiring the shooting guard, OG Anunoby. They seem to have more balance on both offense and defense, even without the injured Mitchell Robinson. Brunson’s presence will also be important in the upcoming game. If he is available, the Knicks will be much more difficult to beat in front of their home crowd.
Starting lineup
The starting lineup of the Houston Rockets is likely to include Jabari Smith Jr., Dillon Brooks, Alpern Sengun, Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green. For the New York Knicks, if Jalen Brunson is available, he will start, if not, Donte DiVincenzo will replace him, as he did on Monday against the Orlando Magic. Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, Isaiah Hartenstein and Miles McBride will also likely start games for New York.
Betting tips & Prediction
Sengun leads the Houston Rockets in scoring with 21.6 points per game this season. The over/under point prop for that is 22.5. He is averaging 23.3 points per game and maybe he can surpass his numbers against the Knicks. The over/under point prop for Jalen Brunson is 26.5, which is more than his season average of 25.8 ppg. However, Brunson has scored more than 26 points in four of his last five games. If he is fit for the upcoming game, he can get over his point prop.
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Houston is currently healthier than the Knicks, who could miss Brunson and Josh Hart for the game. New York can still get the win, but allow the Rockets to cover the spread. According to most oddsmakers, the total will be over.
