2018-2019 NBA Previews – Rockets Odds
Looking for 2018 Houston Rockets Predictions? We’ve got your back. Houston finished last season 65-17, finishing first in the NBA’s Western Conference. But as well as the Rockets played in 2017-18 and as good as they have the potential to be this year, they also have the potential to take a serious step in the wrong direction.
Houston Rockets Season Preview
Head Coach: Mike D’Antoni
2017-18 Record: 42-40
Rockets Odds to NBA Title: +850
Rockets Odds to Win Conference: +550
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But while Vegas pegged their over/under wins projection at 54.5, that may prove to be be a bit too far in that wrong direction.
Houston Rockets Strengths:
For the second year in a row, the Houston Rockets set an NBA record during the 2017-18 campaign for most three-pointers made in a single season. They knocked down an average of 15 long-distance balls per contest, which was 2.3 more triples per game than the No. 2 team, the Brooklyn Nets.
(In case you’re not already impressed, that 2.3 difference between No. 1 and No. 2 is the same distance between the No. 2 Nets and the No. 16 Portland Trail Blazers.)
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Three-point shooting aside, the ultimate strength of this team is its backcourt. The Rockets have two Hall of Fame guards in their starting lineup in Chris Paul and James Harden, making it impossible to choose who you’re going to focus your defensive attention on.
Furthermore, Mike D’Antoni does a wonderful job of staggering the two’s minutes so he always has one of his two best players on the floor.
When they do see the court together, Paul is a nice defensive complement to Harden, while the both of them share drive and kick duties in different isolation sets.
Houston Rockets Weaknesses:
Remember how the Rockets were the most historically dominant three-point shooting team the league has ever seen? That was true…until it wasn’t.
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In the Western Conference Finals, in a crucial game against the Golden State Warriors, the Rockets missed an almost unbelievable 27 three-pointers in a row. That was a sign of bad things to come for that particular contest, but it’s a bigger issue when you take into account the idea that Houston simply doesn’t know how to adjust its game plans (or simply isn’t willing to).
The good news is that Houston acquired iso scorer Carmelo Anthony this offseason, who should be able to mix things up a bit when long balls aren’t falling.
Here’s the catch, though: Anthony just isn’t as good as he used to be.
He’s going to be a net minus overall considering his poor defense and his unwillingness to come off the bench has the potential to hurt the starting 5.
Combine that with the fact that this team lost perimeter scorers/defenders in Luc Mbah a Moute and Trevor Ariza and you realize why Houston is expected to take a decent step back this upcoming season.
Houston Rockets Betting Prediction: 56-26
The Rockets won’t be as good as they were last year, but saying they’re going to drop 10+ games isn’t thinking straight.
The Warriors probably won’t put forth their best efforts when these two teams meet, the Lakers likely aren’t going to reach their own over/under projections and, yes, Houston is still going to outshoot teams on a nightly basis.
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Fifty-four wins isn’t doing this franchise justice, but a prediction of 60 would be overlooking their blemishes.
Fifty-six to 58 wins is going to be a sweet spot for D’Antoni and his squad in 2018-19.
2018 NBA Gambling
What do you think about our 2018 Houston Rockets predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in the 2018-2019 NBA Season!
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