The Houston Rockets could be in a prime spot to cover as road dogs in this NBA Cup clash. / Erik Williams-Imagn Images
The Houston Rockets are off to a fast start in the 2024-25 season, and they're 2-0 in NBA Cup play heading into Tuesday's matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After making the Western Conference Finals last season, the Wolves are just 8-8 and struggling to mesh after trading Karl-Anthony Towns away in the offseason.
Now, Minnesota likely needs a win over Houston to stay alive in the NBA Cup. The Wolves are favored in this game after nearly upsetting the Boston Celtics in Boston on Sunday.
The Rockets (12-6) lost their last game against the Portland Trail Blazers, scoring just 98 points in the process.
Can they bounce back on Tuesday?
Here's a breakdown of the odds, players to watch in the prop market and my prediction for Tuesday's contest.
Minnesota has a tough front line with Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Naz Reid, but I think this number for Alperen Sengun is a value.
The Houston center is averaging 10.6 rebounds per game this season, reaching double-digit boards in 12 of his 18 games. Despite having Gobert up front, the Wolves do rank just 18th in the NBA in rebounding percentage.
So far this season, Randle has cleared 4.5 assists in just six of his 16 games, averaging 4.2 assists per game overall.
This is a tough matchup, as Houston ranks No. 1 in the NBA in opponent assists per game (21.1) and is No. 2 in the league in defensive rating. Randle has cleared this prop just three times in his last 10 games.
Minnesota is really struggling so far in the 2024-25 season, dropping to the middle of the pack in defensive rating after finishing with the best defensive rating in the NBA last season.
That's led to a suspect 2-5 against the spread record as home favorite, and a .500 straight up record.
Houston is 2-1 against the spread as a road underdog, and it's played elite defense this season, ranking in the top three in the NBA in defensive rating.
The Rockets have a ton of interchangeable pieces in Amen Thompson, Jalen Green, Tari Eason, Dillon Brooks, Reed Sheppard and others on the wing, making them a tough out for any team.
With Minnesota's team chemistry looking shaky early in the season and the team taking a step back defensively, I'll gladly take the Rockets to cover as road dogs tonight.
Pick: Rockets +3.5 (-110)
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.