Tamberlyn Richardson – Last Updated on March 8, 2023 5:26 am
Free NBA Pick: Pacers vs. Rockets NBA Odds
Looking for Indiana Pacers vs. Houston Rockets free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Pacers taking on the Rockets on Friday, November 18th, 2020, at the Toyota Center. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NBA basketball matchups so stay tuned for more FREE daily NBA hoops predictions like this Pacers Rockets matchup.
2020 NBA Handicapping (Orlando Restart)
(7-6) Indiana Pacers vs. Houston Rockets (3-12)
Date: Friday, November 18th
Time: 8:00 PM EST
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston TX
NBA Moneyline Odds: Pacers -155 | Rockets +135 (Bet Now!)
NBA Betting Odds: Pacers -3.5
NBA Betting Total: 232.5
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Friday, November 18th, the Indiana Pacers and the Houston Rockets meet for the first of two contests this season. Indiana will host the second match on March 9th.
Both teams last played Wednesday with the Pacers defeating the Hornets 125-113 while the Rockets defeated the Mavericks 101-92 who were resting Luka Doncic.
Last season, the teams played twice with Indiana winning both contests and owning a current five-game win streak. The Rockets have won 57 of the 99 matches played versus the Pacers all-time.
Indiana Pacers
When the season began there were more analysts who projected the Pacers would definitely tank than the Rockets. But as teams near the quarter mark of the season, Indy is looking more like a bonafide playoff contender than a tanker.
GM Chad Buchanan and head coach Rick Carlisle have decisions to make and could take a number of different directions.
- continue to feature Buddy Hield and Myles Turner with the hope of trading them prior to the deadline
- elect to keep one or both and vie for a playoff berth or play-in seed
- begin shutting down players and commit to the tank with a view to winning the Wembanyama sweepstakes.
The Buddy Hield move feels inevitable regardless of the other decisions simply to get Bennedict Mathurin in that starting lineup beside Tyrese Haliburton.
They’re getting some minutes together now but Carlisle needs to expedite that duo maximizing playing them together to build their chemistry.
Offensively, the Pacers score 117.9 points per game ranking third overall. Indy shoots 46.4% from the field ranking 19th, and 38.1% from the perimeter ranking sixth.
Defensively, the Pacers allow opponents to score 116.8 points per game which ranks 26th overall. Indy is still figuring out their defensive schemes with opponents shooting 46.7% from the field (tied with Cavs and Hornets in 16th )
Indy struggles mightily to stop opponents from hitting the long ball allowing foes to shoot 39.1% from deep which is the second-worst mark in the NBA).
Daniel Theis (knee) and Chris Duarte (ankle) are out indefinitely.
Houston Rockets
With just three victories in 15 matches, the Rockets will attempt to win consecutive games for the first time this season.
Offensively, the Rockets score 109.1 points per game ranking 24th overall. Houston shoots 48.1% from the field ranking 29th, and 34.6% from the perimeter ranking 16th.
Defensively, the Rockets allow opponents to score 116.4 points per game which ranks 24th overall. Houston’s foes shoot 48.1% ranking 27th while they have the ninth-best perimeter defense as their foes shoot 34.6% from deep.
Jae’Sean Tate (ankle) is questionable for Friday while Bruno Fernando (knee) is out indefinitely.
NBA Betting Trends:
- The Pacers are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games.
- The Rockets are 1-8 SU in their last 9 games at home.
- The total has gone OVER in 14 of Indiana’s last 20 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston’s last 6 games.
- Indiana is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against Houston.
- Houston is 3-17 SU in their last 20 games.
Free Indiana Pacers vs. Houston Rockets NBA Prediction:
On certain nights the Rockets are far more entertaining than their record shows but it’s the Pacers that have become a must-watch for League Pass viewers as they take down elite teams or erase double-digit deficits.
Something tells me the Rockets will be fully invested in trying to win this game — just to see how they stack up versus this Pacers Cinderella squad.
It’ll make for a highly entertaining match -with my money on the Pacers winning and covering the spread.
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