The Houston Rockets (16-6) and Denver Nuggets (18-6) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. EST from Ball Arena in Denver, Colo. The game will be broadcast live on Peacock.
The Nuggets are 1.5-point favorites over the Rockets on the spread (Nuggets -1.5), with the over/under set at 236.5 total points. Denver is a -115 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Houston is -105 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Rockets vs. Nuggets predictions and NBA picks for Monday, December 15.
My Rockets vs Nuggets Prediction
- Rockets vs Nuggets pick: Peyton Watson Over 17.5 Points + Rebounds (-125)
My Nuggets vs Rockets best bet is on Peyton Watson to record over 17.5 points and rebounds, with the best price currently available at bet365. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Rockets vs Nuggets Odds
| Rockets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 236.5 -110o / -110u | -105 |
| Nuggets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 236.5 -110o / -110u | -115 |
Rockets vs Nuggets NBA Preview
The Nuggets are still second in the Western Conference at 18-6, only to be outdone by the Thunder, who just lost their second game of the season in the NBA Cup semifinals.
Denver comes into tonight having won four straight games, with a 112-109 win in Houston in their back pocket from November 21.
At 16-6, the Rockets are coming in hot, and currently third in the West, winning 16-of-20 after a mildly surprising 0-2 start to the season.
To be fair, they lost to the Thunder and Pistons, who are each first in their respective conferences.
Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) are out for Denver in this game, with Julian Strawther (back) listed as questionable.
For Houston, Fred VanVleet (ACL), and Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) are both out.
Tari Eason (back) has been upgraded to questionable, a fairly significant development considering that he's been out for a month.
Rockets vs Nuggets Prediction, Betting Analysis
Usually, I've been on Peyton Watson over points + rebounds, and tonight, I wanted to just grab the points, but I'll be back on the PR despite some things going against me.
The Rockets are the best defensive rebounding team in the NBA, allowing a league-fewest 38.2 boards per 100 possessions, over two fewer than anyone else in the NBA.
Watson grabbed just two boards last game against the Kings, but he's otherwise been consistently 5-8 range this month.
Watson's number to beat is 17.5. He's over this in 4-of-5 and in 9-of-11 — including a nine-point, 10-rebound performance against the Rockets earlier this season.
Pick: Peyton Watson Over 17.5 Points + Rebounds (-125)
