Can High-Scoring Suns Keep Pace With Heavily-Favored Houston?

Two of the NBA’s highest-scoring offenses square off in Houston on Saturday. With the Rockets and the Suns also have a recent history of high-scoring matchups, it’s hard to argue against betting on the OVER Saturday — regardless of how high the total is. 

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

After a short losing streak, Houston has picked up their play again, and opened as 10-point favorites at home against a Suns team that’s won just three of their last 10 games. Both teams are among the top five offenses in the NBA — and the bottom 10 defenses — so the total opened very high at 239.5 points.

Phoenix News & Notes

It’s been an up-and-down season for the Suns, as they sit at 10-11 on the season after notching a 139-132 win over New Orleans on Thursday.

Phoenix got a big game from star Devin Booker, who scored a season-high 44 points in the win. He leads the team with 25 points per game, but his added scoring was needed with the absence of center Aron Baynes.

Thrust into the starting role following DeAndre Ayton’s 25-game suspension, Baynes has been a revelation for Phoenix, averaging 14.7 points per game. He missed his third straight game Thursday with a left calf strain, and is unlikely to suit up Saturday. So Booker, along with the other four actives Suns averaging double figures, will continue to be leaned on for extra scoring against the Rockets and their explosive offense.

Houston News & Notes

The Rockets faced a new defensive wrinkle Thursday against Toronto, as the Raptors double-teamed James Harden as much as possible, all game long. They were determined to force the rest of Houston’s roster to beat them… and the Rockets did just that in a 119-109 victory.

While Harden has just 23 points (on an efficient 7/11 shooting and 6/6 from the free-throw line), Ben McLemore led all players with 28 points while Russell Westbrook added 19, PJ Tucker 18 and Danuel House Jr. 16 points.

Houston may have hit 22 threes on the night, their fourth game this year with 20+ threes, but they also had a season-high 20 offensive rebounds — leading to 24 second-chance points.

The Rockets proved that even if opponents focus on taking Harden out of the game, they can still beat one of the NBA’s premier teams. Facing a weaker defensive club on Saturday, look for Houston — and Harden — to continue their usual high-scoring ways.

Betting Pick: OVER 239.5

Houston is the second-highest scoring team in the NBA, while Phoenix is fifth. I’m expecting a shootout Saturday night… and that means the OVER is in play.