Thunder vs. Rockets Odds Shift Dramatically With Wall, Cousins & More Reportedly in Doubt
Cato Cataldo/NBAE via Getty Images. Pictured: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets.
On just the second day of the 2020-21 NBA season we already have breaking news surrounding one of the league's best players — and his teammates — and COVID-19 affecting the betting market.
According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, the Houston Rockets and the NBA are reviewing a video that reportedly shows James Harden at a strip club.
Source: Rockets are working with NBA office to review video of James Harden at a strip club. If the video circulating on social media is verified to be recent, it is a violation of league's COVID protocols, which would put Harden's availability for tonight's opener in jeopardy.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 23, 2020
If the video is verified, this could lead to a violation of the league's COVID-19 protocols and put Harden's status for tonight's Thunder vs. Rockets game up in the air.
Prior to MacMahon's tweet, Houston had settled in as an 8-point home favorite against the Thunder.
The news didn't stop there.
According to Shams Charania, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins are among the Rockets who are expected to miss the game due to contact tracing.
Several Houston Rockets, including John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and possibly more, are expected to miss tonight's season opener vs. OKC due to coronavirus contact tracing, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA@Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 23, 2020
DraftKings Sportsbook, originally moved the Rockets to -6 and an over/under of 222.5 based just off the Harden report. Once the news of Wall and Cousins' absence hit, odds came off the board everywhere.
FanDuel then re-opened the Rockets at -1.5.
If another positive test comes back, there's potential for a postponement, so be aware before finalizing fantasy lineups.
Be sure to follow Fantasy Labs' NBA Twitter account for breaking player news updates, while checking it on our NBA Live Odds Page for updated Thunder vs. Rockets odds as the Harden story continues to unfold.
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