Charlotte Hornets vs Houston Rockets

Houston is in the second spot on a back-to-back road after playing at Toronto yesterday. It's also their eighth road game over the last 11 contests. The Rockets are on a 2-5 spread run, including 1-4 ATS on the road. Charlotte is home working on two days of rest. All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball sat out the last game (calf) as the team was careful with him, but he will play tonight. Ball had 34 points against Houston when they met earlier this season, a 110-105 Charlotte win as a +8.5 underdog. Play Charlotte. 

Houston is 12th in the NBA in points allowed, fifth in field goal shooting defense, and third in 3-point defense. The Rockets are 17-6 ATS after playing a home game. Charlotte is just 5-14 at home and getting outscored by 11.1 points per game, the worst differential in the NBA. They've lost 19 of 22 and are on a 4-10 spread run. Charlotte ranks 28th in scoring and 27th in field goal shooting, while the defense is 24th in points surrendered (119.2 per game), 28th in field goal shooting defense, and dead-last in 3-point defense. Charlotte is 2-11 ATS versus losing teams, 4-14 ATS when playing six or more games in 10 days, plus 23-40 ATS after having lost five or six of their last seven. Play Houston. 

Houston played its best game of the season on Friday, but lost 126-122 in overtime at San Antonio and then had to come back two nights later against Golden State and lost 106-95. The Rockets came back from 16 points down, but then played sloppy late in the fourth quarter against the Warriors while missing all eight 3-point tries. The Rockets have had two days off to attempt to win their first game of the season and it's against Charlotte, which allowed 56.3 percent shooting by Brooklyn while losing to the Nets 133-121 on Monday. The Hornets won their season opener and then lost their next two against Detroit and the Nets. Houston has covered four of five after losing by double digits at home and Charlotte is 2-6 ATS in that same situation dating to last season. Look for Houston to put together four good quarters and take the Rockets ATS.

Charlotte has had a huge turnover in personnel since the beginning of the season and the Hornets are still trying to put things together with the new additions and younger players. The Hornets have lost three in a row and didn't cover the number in any of them as they go into the final two games of the season with little incentive. Houston is still playing hard and the Rockets have won two of three, including 124-103 over Denver on Tuesday as Jalen Green led seven double-figure scorers with 32 points and the Rockets played one of their best all-around games of 2022-23. Houston has covered six of seven versus opponents with losing home records and the Hornets are 3-8 ATS their past 11 home contests and 7-17 ATS overall following a loss. Take the Rockets.