The Houston Rockets (16-8) and Denver Nuggets (20-6) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m. EST from Ball Arena in Denver, Colo. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The Nuggets are -1.5 favorites over the Rockets on the spread (Nuggets -1.5), with the over/under set at 235.5 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 Saturday, December 20.
My Rockets vs Nuggets Prediction
- Rockets vs Nuggets pick: Rockets ML -105
My Nuggets vs Rockets best bet is on the Rockets moneyline, with the best price currently available at DraftKings. 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 -115 | 235.5 -115o / -105u | -105 |
| Nuggets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -105 | 235.5 -115o / -105u | -115 |
Rockets vs Nuggets NBA Preview
The previous two matchups between these teams were very close, with the Nuggets winning by only three points in each.
The Rockets have won two of their last three visits to Ball Arena in Denver, and their record on the road this year is 8-6.
After losing their last two contests, this is a bounce-back spot for them.
Although Houston is a small underdog in this game, it still offers nice value on the team's moneyline.
Our Bet Labs system "Fade Public Small Dogs" recommends backing the Rockets as the winner today.
Rockets vs Nuggets Prediction, Betting Analysis
This NBA moneyline system assumes that the betting market and casual bettors slightly overvalue home court in tightly lined games, creating quiet value on the visiting team when it is a small underdog.
By requiring that the team we back is on the road and that the game is in the regular season or postseason, the system focuses on meaningful contests where both teams are motivated, and talent levels are close.
Limiting the spread percentage and the point spread itself to a narrow band between zero and roughly six and a half points targets matchups where the road side is clearly competitive but still priced as the less likely winner, largely because the public prefers the perceived safety of a short home favorite.
In these situations, the visiting underdog often has comparable talent, fresher legs in certain schedule spots, or matchup advantages that are not fully captured in the line, so consistently siding with the road team aims to exploit these small but repeatable inefficiencies in how the market prices home advantage.
Pick: Rockets ML -105 (DraftKings)
Nuggets vs Rockets Betting Trends
