The 2019 NBA playoff picture should become clearer on Tuesday night after the Houston Rockets take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in an important Western Conference showdown. Tipoff is at 9:30 p.m. ET from Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder (47-33) currently sit sixth in the NBA playoff bracket in the West, a half-game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers. A win in their regular-season home finale would help them avoid the No. 8 seed and a first-round encounter with the Golden State Warriors. Houston (53-28) sits in the No. 3 spot, but still has an outside chance of catching the Denver Nuggets for the No. 2 seed. Houston is a two-point favorite, with the over-under for total points scored set at 230 in the latest Rockets vs. Thunder odds. Before you lock in any Rockets vs. Thunder picks, check out the NBA predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, is crushing its NBA picks. It entered Week 25 of the 2018-19 NBA season with a sterling 277-216 record on all top-rated picks, returning more than $4,500 in profit to anybody following them. And it has been particularly red-hot on its A-rated NBA picks against the spread, entering Week 25 on a strong 69-52 run. Anybody who has followed it is way up.
Now, the model has zeroed in on Rockets vs. Thunder. We can tell you the model is leaning over, and it has also generated a strong against the spread pick that hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. That one is only available at SportsLine.
The model knows the Rockets are eager to continue their strong late-season surge in order to hit the postseason in peak form, while also avoiding a potentially difficult first-round matchup with the Utah Jazz. Houston has won six straight games by an average of almost 26 points.
The Rockets are tied for second in the Western Conference with 22 road wins and haven't lost away from the Toyota Center since March 26 in Milwaukee. They are coming off a record-setting performance in a 149-113 home win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. They hit a single-game record of 27 three-pointers in the blowout. James Harden had five triples among his team-high 30 points, while Eric Gordon nailed eight three-pointers and finished with 26 points.
But just because Houston comes in hot doesn't mean it is assured of covering the Rockets vs. Thunder spread against an Oklahoma City squad that has won two of the three matchups between these teams this season.
Oklahoma City has recently notched double-figure home wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons and is coming off a 132-126 road win on Sunday over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Paul George and Russell Westbrook had 27 points each for the Thunder, who benefited from a balanced effort. Six players hit double-figures, as Dennis Schroder led a strong showing from the reserves with 21 points.
Who wins Thunder vs. Rockets? And which side of the spread can you bank on in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Thunder vs. Rockets spread you should be all over Tuesday, all from the model that's up more than $4,500 on NBA picks this season.
