The Philadelphia 76ers (22-16) travel to Houston to take on the Rockets (11-30) in a cross-conference matchup on Monday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 P.M. EST. at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX.
The 76ers dealt with a rough start to their season. Between Ben Simmons’s unwillingness to play and a plethora of early-season injuries, Philly was battling to remain above .500. But the Sixers have flipped the script on that narrative in recent weeks.
They are 7-3 over their past ten contests and now find themselves in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Houston is trending in the opposite direction. The Rockets are 1-9 over their past ten games and are at the very bottom of the Western Conference.
So does Houston have a realistic shot at upsetting the odds against the 76ers at home in this contest?
76ers at Rockets Betting Preview
Philadelphia 76ers Preview: It’s Sunny in Philadelphia!
Almost everybody on the 76ers is playing quality basketball right now. Superstar Joel Embiid has heated up in a major way as of late and is beginning to thrust himself into the MVP conversation.
Embiid scored 31 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished out seven assists in the Sixers’ recent win over the San Antonio Spurs. Tobias Harris and Seth Curry both added 23 points in the victory as well.
The most impressive part of the win was that a number of significant players were in health and safety protocols, including point guard Tyrese Maxey. Nonetheless, the 76ers had no problem getting the job done in front of their home fans.
They should also not have much of a dilemma earning a win in Houston. The Rockets have been dreadful as of late, and we could see an immensely high-scoring total posted by Philadelphia in this game.
Houston Rockets Preview: Answer the Call on Defense
The Rockets actually posted a good effort on offense in their last game against the Timberwolves. Christian Wood led the team with 22 points and eight rebounds, while Josh Christopher added 19 off the bench. Houston finished the game with seven total players in double figures in the points department en route to 123 points on the night.
And typically, that kind of number will lead to a win. But not in this scenario.
The issues arose on the defensive end.
The Rockets allowed Minnesota to score 141 points in the loss. Karl-Anthony Towns had a game-high 40 points. Houston simply had no answer for this team on defense.
And we could be in for a similar type of result on Monday. Joel Embiid has been one of the hottest players in basketball over the past few weeks. Embiid is certainly liable to drop a 40 spot or more in this game.
Houston is going to have to be better on defense if they have any chance of upsetting the odds and defeating the Sixers on Monday night.
Who to Bet on 76ers at Rockets
The 76ers should be able to emerge victorious on the road in this one. These are two teams heading in different directions as we approach mid-January. Look for a big game from this red-hot Philadelphia squad on Monday.
Take the Philadelphia 76ers with your NBA betting selection.
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