- What: NBA Regular Season Game
- When: March 3, 2025
- Who: Houston Rockets vs. OKC Thunder
- Time: 5:00 p.m. PST
- Where: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, OK)
The Houston Rockets (37-23) are looking for redemption against the Oklahoma City Thunder (49-11) in a Western Conference clash on Monday night.
So far this season, the Rockets have only managed to win one of the three encounters against the Thunder. All games were played in 2024. After suffering a defeat against Sacramento on Saturday, the Rockets currently sit in fifth place in the Western Conference.
Meanwhile, the Thunder are in a strong position. They boast a substantial 10.5-game lead for the top spot in the conference and are currently enjoying a three-game winning streak.
The game will tip off at 8 p.m. ET on Monday at the Paycom Center. The Thunder are favored by 10.5 points, and the over/under is set at 228.5 points.
Houston
Oklahoma City’s offense will face a tough test against Houston, which boasts the fourth-best defensive rating in the NBA. The Rockets recently lost to Sacramento 113-103 on Saturday, but they had an extra day to prepare for this matchup.
Fred VanVleet will not play due to an ankle injury. In contrast, Steven Adams (ankle), Dillon Brooks (knee), Tari Eason (leg), Alperen Sengun (back), and Amen Thompson (shoulder) are all listed as questionable.
Monday night hoops in OKC ????
⏰ 7:00pm Tip-Off
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Jalen Green, Houston’s shooting guard, leads the team with an average of 21.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, scoring over 20 points in his last five games.
In their previous encounter on December 1st, Sengun posted 20 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists during a victory against Oklahoma City.
OKC
Oklahoma City has emerged as the top team in the NBA this season, currently boasting the best defensive rating in the league. Offensively, the Thunder are also performing well, averaging 133 points over their last six games.
Since the All-Star break, they have won five out of six contests, including a 146-132 victory against San Antonio on Sunday night.
This win marked a new season high for the Thunder, exceeding their previous record of 144 points in a game and extending their winning streak to three.
Back home and ready to go ????
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Jalen Williams had a standout performance, scoring a career-best 41 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 31 points without any turnovers.
The Thunder have an impressive 15-2 record in their last 17 home games, while the Rockets have struggled, covering the spread only three times in their last 11 matchups.
Rockets-Thunder Best Bet
Chet Holmgren is facing another injury that may prevent him from playing in the upcoming game against the Rockets.
He seemed to hurt his left ankle early in the first quarter of Friday’s match but managed to play through it, logging 15 minutes in the first half.
However, the injury appeared serious enough to keep him off the court during the second half. It’s uncertain whether this setback will keep Holmgren sidelined for Monday’s game.
Given that it’s a back-to-back situation, I anticipate that OKC will exercise caution with him. If he is unable to play, Isaiah Hartenstein will likely see more minutes.
For this reason, I lean towards the Rockets covering the spread in this matchup. 11 points is too many for the Thunder to cover.
Best Bet: Rockets +10.5 points at -115 odds
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Tony Reyes is a sports betting analyst and reporter for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X @TonyParlay.
